


Of Patience and Pettiness

by BelleAmant



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: (Someone asked for this to be tagged so here you are!!!), A commenter made the mistake of handing me the keys so let’s go!, Adrienette is not endgame (unless I change my mind?), Forceful Guardian AU, Kagami & Marinette Friendship, Luka & Kagami & Marinette Friendship, Nothing is canon after Chameleon, Or the salt truck, Pettinette, Polygamy, Saltinette, Trust me on that because wow I took the salt train and ran., Wow I just really hate Lila
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-18
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2020-09-06 20:36:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 54
Words: 90,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20297569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BelleAmant/pseuds/BelleAmant
Summary: Marinette is a patient girl. She always has been, but even she has a limit.Aka, the story where Marinette is done and realizes that sometimes, it's up to her to create her narrative.This won't be as frequently updated as my other story, but I hope you all will enjoy my salt!





	1. A Patient Girl

Chapter One

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has always been a patient girl. She has to be, at this point. With the crazy world she lives in, where an angry butterfly man preys on people’s emotions in order to create sentient monsters- and, what's more, she’s the  _ only one who can reverse the damage said monsters cause _ \- she’s accepted that she needs to stay calm as much as she possibly can. And, so far, Marinette has maintained her peace. She’s done great! After years of dealing with  _ Chloé _ , Marinette likes to think that she’s a master of keeping a cool, collected mindset.

Then Lila Rossi came along. And on her first day, Lila Rossi made Marinette so mad that she screamed at Lila as  _ Ladybug _ . Freaking Ladybug, who could put up with anything and then some! Needless to say, Marinette wasn’t sad to see Lila disappear from school after her first day.

But then she came back. 

Lila came back, and due to her ‘tinnitus,’ Marinette got pushed to the back. And that was the beginning of a downhill slope. Throughout the day, Lila lied more and more, going so far as to make Marinette seem like the bad guy when Marinette tried to call her out on her lies. Then Lila threatened Marinette in the bathroom, saying that she’d ruin Marinette’s life and take all of her friends. Marinette had nearly been Akumatized due to that, but with Tikki’s help, pushed away her negativity. Then Chameleon happened, and Marinette, being as patient as always, walked away at the end of the day doubting that her friends would leave her for a liar.

But here Marinette is, a week later, seeing her life come crashing down around her. Despite gaining her seat back in class, Lila had managed to take her place in her classmates’ hearts.

Including Alya’s.

Marinette sits on her chaise, staring at her phone. Exhausted from an Akuma battle, Marinette had been content to just lay back and watch funny cat videos for a while.

Then she’d seen the notification on the LadyBlog. Curious, Marinette clicked on it, assuming that it’d be the footage from the battle.

Instead, Marinette is greeted with the title, ‘My new BFF is Ladybug’s BFF! (Not clickbait!!)’ 

She watches the whole video. All fourteen minutes of Lila talking about how close she and Ladybug are. Marinette feels disgusted. Not only due to Alya’s sudden change in loyalties, but in the lack of source checking. Alya is a journalist, she should know to check for misconceptions and straight up lies!

Marinette glares at the screen, so angry that she doesn’t hear Tikki’s cries for her to calm down. She’s so blindsided by her rage that she doesn’t see the purple butterfly as it slips into her phone.

“Miss treated,” Hawkmoth says, voice comforting. “I am Hawkmoth, and I can see your suffering. I will grant you the ability to expose the lies which have hurt you, to seek out those who are false and bring them to justice, and in return, you will-”

“Bring you Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous? Yeah, I’ll have to pass.” Marinette stands her ground, scowling at the purple outline that she sees in front of her face. She feels a hint of amusement when Hawkmoth’s confusion hits her. 

“What?”

Marinette laughs, and it sounds bitter, even to her. “Listen up, butterfly boy. Revenge may be sweet and all, but I’m not getting it with  _ your  _ help. If there’s going to be justice in this world, it’s going to be the old-fashioned way,  _ sans  _ weird butterfly powers. So  _ au revoir, papillon _ .” Marinette waves sweetly, still sitting on her chaise, then chucks her phone to the floor. The screen cracks, and the Akuma flies out. 

Marinette smiles and hops up. “Tikki, spots on!” She transforms quickly and catches the butterfly before it can escape. “Miraculous Ladybug!”

Two minutes later, Marinette is detransformed and laying back on her chaise, her phone fixed. Looking at the video, Marinette begins to think.

“Hey, Tikki?” Marinette starts. Tikki looks up from her cookie, face covered in crumbs.

“What is it, Marinette?” Tikki asks, her wide eyes filled with curiosity.

“I think I know how to expose Lila.” Marinette grins, and tells Tikki her plans. 

The tiny goddess beams when Marinette finishes. “Marinette, that sounds  _ wonderful _ .”


	2. Exposure

Chapter Two

In all honesty, exposing Lila was almost pitifully easy. A quick Google search was enough to prove that, for one, Jagged Stone never had a cat, but Marinette is  _ far _ from relying on Google. 

Alya did ask her to check her sources, after all. 

No, Marinette has a different plan for that part. She’s decided that it’s about time she gave the rock star a call.

It’s hard to be patient on Monday morning, but Marinette has had plenty of practice. Sitting in her seat (and she’s even early for once!), Marinette smiles at Alya. Alya, the girl who’d ditched her for a liar.

Marinette pushes the thought aside, focusing on her plan. She can worry about the betrayal later, can deal with the pain later. For now, she has to be flawless.

She has to act perfectly, or else this may go badly.

“Hey, Alya!” Marinette greets with a friendly smile.

Alya smiles back, as if she didn’t ditch Marinette for a lying witch. “Hey, girl! How was your weekend?”

Marinette shrugs. “The usual. Staying up too late, spending way too much time catching up on homework, trying to work on my designs, all of that stuff.”

Alya giggles. “Trying? Too distracted by a certain model to keep on task?”

Admittedly, no. Watching Adrien this past week, she’s fallen out of love. While she’s sad to know that all of her pining was for nothing, Marinette can’t deny that Adrien just wasn’t for her.

Someone who puts her bullies first and her second, despite knowing the truth? Someone who’s always let the bully get away with their ways because, “It’s not like they’re hurting anyone”? That’s not the kind of guy that Marinette wants.

But, frankly, Marinette can’t explain this to Alya. Not until Alya sees the truth.

So Marinette just shrugs, trying to look sheepish. And with Alya’s exasperated smile, Marinette knows that she nailed it.

“What about you, Alya? How was your weekend?” Marinette asks, and Alya perks up, whipping out her phone.

“Well, you saw those crazy Akuma attacks, right? I got both of those up on the LadyBlog, and then Lila and I recorded an interview of her.” Here, Alya pauses, but she shows Marinette the video and starts to play it. “And honestly, Marinette, I know you’re jealous and all, but you need to look past that. Lila’s a really nice girl!”

Marinette sighs, puts on the most heartfelt, sincere expression she can, and lies (?) to her best (?) friend’s face.

It’s for a good cause.

“Actually, Alya,” Marinette starts, and Alya’s full attention is on her. “I was thinking about that yesterday. I realized that how I’ve been acting, by calling her a liar without having proof, that’s really rude.”  _ Even if it’s true.  _ “And I was jealous,”  _ at first, _ “but I’m willing to set it aside and move forward.”  _ I was jealous, but that’s not why I’m mad. That’s not why I try to call Lila out every single day. Even without loving Adrien, I’m still mad.  _ “And I have to admit, all of the stories, they just sounded too good to be true,”  _ because they are _ , “and I guess I just couldn’t believe it, you know? It was hard to believe someone’s life is so exciting and adventurous at such a young age.”

Alya nods, eyes brightening, but she doesn’t speak yet.

Finally Marinette sighs, trying to look bashful and worried. “So, I want to fix all of this. Because it wasn’t my place to act like that.”  _ Not alone, at least. Not without backup, not without proof. _

Alya grins. “Really? I’m proud of you, girl!” 

“Thanks. I want to do something for her, something to show that I’m trying, and I think I know just the thing.”

“Really? What is it?” Alya’s curiosity is shining through, and Marinette holds back her smile. 

“Well, I thought I could fix one of my past outbursts. I want to call Jagged and ask for a favor. You know how Lila said he made a song just for her? I figure that a good place to start is asking him if he’ll perform the song for the class, even if just over the phone. I’d ask him to make another song for her, but I don’t think he’d want to use the same inspiration…”  _ Especially if he never made a first. _

Alya falls for it completely. “Oh my God, Marinette that’s perfect! Lila will love that, and I’m sure she’ll forgive you after this. When are you going to call him?”

Marinette looks away, staring at her desk. Trying to seem nervous. “Well, I want to do it soon. I’d do it now, if I could, but class starts in a few minutes and I don’t know if I should disrupt class…” It’d be rude to bring whatever chaos will follow into Miss Buster’s plans.

“Disrupt class for what?” Lila asks as she walks into the room. 

Marinette quickly shoots Alya a panicked ‘Don’t Spoil This’ look, which Alya luckily interprets. 

“It’s a surprise! Nothing big, don’t worry about it, girl!” Alya winks at Lila, then turns back  to Marinette. “And I am  _ sure _ that Miss Bustier will let you do this right now if you ask!” 

Marinette jumps out of her seat, nodding quickly. “You know what, you’re right! I’ll go ask!” 

Marinette marches up to Miss Buster’s desk, feeling determined. “Miss Bustier?” She starts, trying to get her teacher’s attention. 

“Yes, Marinette?” Miss Bustier looks up at the bluenette. “Is something wrong?”

Oh, so  _ now _ someone asks Marinette if something is wrong. She lets her determination fade away to nervousness, taking full control of the fear that she may mess up and letting it be seen. “No, I was just hoping I could…” Marinette lowers her voice. “I’ve accused Lila of lying in front of the class, and I’d like to fix my mistakes the same way. Do you mind if I use the first few minutes of class to do so?”

Miss Bustier smiles. “I don’t mind at all. And I’m proud of you for taking initiative, Marinette.”

Marinette gives her teacher a small smile as the bell rings, then watches her classmates as they all sit down.

‘ _ Initiative, that’s for sure, _ ’ Marinette thinks, taking a deep breath. She has to be calm, has to do this perfectly. She only has one shot, if she messes up there’s no fixing this. 

Most of the class looks confused, seeing Marinette standing at the front of the classroom by herself. Adrien gives her a look that practically screams, ‘What do you think you’re doing?’

Marinette looks away from him, and sends Jagged Stone a quick text.

‘ _ Can I talk to you in a few? _ ’

He replies immediately. ‘ _ Yeah! Call whenever, kiddo! _ ’ It’s followed by a few sign of the horns emojis, and Marinette holds back her giggle. 

Marinette takes another deep breath, then she begins. “Hey, guys. I’ll try to be brief, so I don’t take up too much time. I just wanted to say,” she looks straight at Lila, “I’m sorry.”

The class gasps in confusion, and Alya smiles encouragingly. Adrien eyes her warily.

“Ever since Lila came back, I’ve acted like a terrible person. I’ve accused her of lying over every single thing she said. In reality...I was jealous. So, today, I wanted to admit my mistake to all of you, and to prove it, I’m going to ask a friend of mine for a favor. Lila, do you remember when you told all of us about how Jagged Stone made a song for you? After you saved his cat?”

Lila smiles sweetly when the whole class looks to her. “Of course I do! I listen to the song every single day.” She looks proud, as if she’s won.

But then Marinette beams, and watches as Lila’s pride gives way to nerves, her eyes widening. “Perfect. I hope that he’ll agree…”

“Who will agree?” Lila asks as Marinette hits video call.

He picks up immediately, and Jagged Stone’s face fills the screen. “Hey! Marinette, this thing on?”

Marinette giggles, holding the phone so her whole class sees. “Yes, Jagged! Say hi to my class!”

Jagged waves to the class enthusiastically. “Hey, little dudes and dudettes! Rock on, all of you! So, Marinette, my favorite niece, what did you need?”

Marinette smiles at him. “Well, I was hoping you’d be willing to play a song for us.”

“Of course! Which one? I’ve got one I wrote for you, want to hear it?” Jagged is already pulling on his guitar, excited and ready to rock.

“No! Actually, it’s one you wrote for my friend?”

Jagged pauses, confused. “I didn’t make one for any of your friends, kiddo.”

Marinette makes sure to look surprised. “Really? Lila said that you wrote her one. Do you remember Lila? Lila Rossi?”

The rock star shakes his head. “Doesn’t ring any bells.”

Marinette frowns. “Well, you should be able to recognize her! She said you guys are close. Lila, wave to him!” 

The class turns to look at Lila, whose face is  _ oddly  _ pale. Slowly, the Italian girl lifts a hand and waves.

“Never met her in my life. Sorry, dudette.”

“But she saved your cat?” Rose pipes up.

Jagged laughs as soon as he hears it. “A  _ cat _ ?! I have never had a cat! They’re too mainstream, and don’t really fit my vibe like Fang does.”

Marinette clears her throat. “Okay, well, nevermind then! I’ll talk to you soon, Jagged!”

“See ya! Oh, and by the way, I need a new album cover soon! And can you make me an outfit, too? I have some wicked new ideas and I think you can bring them to life!”

“Of course! Bye!” Marinette hangs up, flustered by his statement but also proud to be recognized for her talent by one of her favorite people. She pockets her phone and glances up.

The room is silent.

Marinette clears her throat again. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure how Jagged could forget you if you saved a cat of his...or how he’d ever forget having a cat. He’s never forgotten a previous inspiration of his before.”

Chloé scoffs before Marinette can say any more. “This is ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! The explanation is obvious: Lila  _ did _ lie to us.’

Lila shakes her head, giggling nervously. ‘No! Of course not! I would never do th-”

Max interrupts her, standing up and announcing, “Statistically, there is a ninety-nine point five percent chance that Lila is, indeed, lying.”

Rose frowns, holding up her phone. “I just texted Prince Ali. He doesn’t remember ever meeting you...or working on stopping pollution. He works with charities for little kids only.”

Lila stands, trying her best to look confused. “There must be some mistake!”

Nino just looks disappointed. “Bro, lying? Not cool, dude.”

The rest of the class looks upset, too, and begin to chime in.

“So you never met Clara Nightingale?” Mylène asks, her voice filled with sadness.

Lila shakes her head quickly. “No! I did, I swear.”

“But you said that Jagged Stone introduced you guys at a party,” Kim points out with a  frown. 

“So you just lied again!” Alix says, slamming her hands on her desk as she glares at Lila. “Have you been lying about everything? Have you actually met any of the people you’ve talked about, or done any of the things you claimed to have done? Or are you just a liar?”

Lila tears up. “I didn’t! This, this is all Marinette’s fault! She’s always hated me, she’s trying to make you all hate me, too!”

But the class doesn’t believe her, and soon enough they’re all shouting at her on Marinette’s behalf. The bluenette watches it all with wide eyes, watches how her class flipped their views so easily once again.

Something inside of her twists when she sees how distraught Alya is, how angry her best friend is as she questions Lila’s friendship with Ladybug.

But she doesn’t have time to ponder it, because in seconds Lila is racing out of the room, sobbing loudly.

Miss Bustier slams a book on her desk. “Alright, class, let’s settle down. While that was an unexpected turn of events, let’s not get off track. Marinette, please take your seat.”

“Of course.” Marinette goes to her seat, ignoring the skeptical look that Adrien gives her. 

Because why should it matter to her? She didn’t lie once, didn’t stoop down to Lila’s level in order to dethrone her. The high road didn’t work, and Marinette wasn’t going to let someone ruin her life any longer. It was about time Lila had to deal with the consequences of her actions, about time Marinette stood up for herself again.

Marinette doesn’t know that this is just the start of the changes she’ll make in her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're just beginning...I wonder what will happen next? It'd be a shame if anyone gets Akumatized over this, wouldn't it?
> 
> Until next time~ <3


	3. Volpina's Return

Chapter Three

Marinette, in all honesty, expected Lila to be Akumatized over the reveal. She is, however, surprised that it takes until lunch for Lila to snap.

It’s even more surprising to see Lila Akumatized as Volpina again. With Rena Rouge’s appearance, Marinette wonders why Lila is risking this lie again.

And then Lila, no, Volpina, speaks. 

“Citizens of Paris!” Volpina cries, perched on the school’s roof. Marinette looks up, and so do Alya, Nino, and Adrien. The other students that are outside stop what they’re doing to see what’s going on. “I have returned to protect you!”

“Aren’t you an Akuma?” Someone, Aurore, asks.

Volpina pretends to be confused. “Me? Of course not.”

Alya glares at the Akuma. “Then how come we’ve had Rena Rouge protecting us as the fox?” She holds her phone up, recording the imposter.

Volpina smiles, teeth showing. “She was just temporary. Ladybug needed someone in my absence, but as soon as I returned, she gave me back my Miraculous!”

Nino scoffs. “And why were you gone for so long?”

She pouts. “I was on a mission elsewhere. Ladybug could only trust me to do it. Chat Noir isn’t serious enough for the work I had to do.”

Marinette glances at her friends. Alya looks hurt, and her eyes are watering. Marinette almost feels bad for her.

Maybe, after this, Alya will see how much Lila’s lying can hurt.

Adrien, on the other hand, looks offended yet skeptical. Marinette wonders just what he’s thinking.

Whatever it is, he doesn’t say. Instead, he slowly turns to walk away. He looks to Marinette.

“Want to head to the bakery? I’m in the mood for a croissant,” Adrien says. His eyes are filled with something, but she can’t tell what.

She agrees nonetheless. “Yeah, we should have enough time to eat there, too.” But as she agrees, she wonders how she’ll slip away to transform. Volpina needs to be stopped before she gets mad.

Turning her back on the Akuma does the trick. Volpina hops off of the roof, landing straight in front of Marinette.

“You can’t go anywhere! Ladybug said that there’s an Akuma on the loose, one who’s upset with you!”

“Is it Lila?” Adrien asks, eyes narrowing at the imposter fox.

Volpina giggles. “No, Lila’s fine.”

“How do you know?” He asks, and Marinette wonders where his sudden courage came from. It sure would’ve been nice to have last week.

“We’re really close. She’s like, the coolest person I know, other than Ladybug.” Volpina beams, and Alya seems even more crushed when Marinette glances back. As if Volpina means it.

Marinette does  _ not _ have time for this. Luckily, she now has a reasonable excuse to run off. 

“An Akuma is after me? I need to leave before anyone gets hurt because of me!” Marinette says, letting concern cover her face. She starts to walk quickly, but Volpina grabs her arm.

“Wait, I’ll come with you. The Akuma will check your house, I’m sure of it!” Volpina says, but Marinette sees the anger in her eyes.

“No, stay here! The Akuma will see you and think you’re protecting me, and when they do, you can tell them that I ran off! They’ll give chase, and it gives you three time to take the Akuma down.”

Alya can’t help but smile. “That’s smart, girl. You really  _ are _ an everyday Ladybug, huh?”

The compliment is bittersweet, and Marinette, once more, wishes the past week never happened. Ignoring that strange twisting in her heart, that sting from Alya’s comment, she struggles to send Alya a grateful smile. So she doesn’t, because Alya’s kindness just hurts right now.

Her Ladybug Luck is coming through, however, because Volpina can’t come up with a reason to refute. Marinette darts off, but quickly swerves around the bakery instead of storming in. She bolts to the park, hides behind a random tree, and transforms.

In moments, she’s on the school rooftop. Alya spots her first, and whips her phone around to focus the camera on her.

Ladybug clears her throat, and calls out a brief, “Hello?”

Volpina turns around, and Adrien runs as soon as the faux fox isn’t watching him. Poor kid, he must’ve known that she’s no hero.

“Ladybug!” Volpina greets pleasantly. “I’m so glad to be back!”

“Lila,” Ladybug responds, eyes and voice cold. “Akumatized  _ again _ ? Tell me, is this the third or fourth time?”

Alya sighs in relief, and Aurore shouts a quick, “I knew it!”

Volpina tries her best to look confused, tries to act like this is odd or unexpected. “What do you mean? I’m no Akuma, why do you think that I am?”

Chat Noir hops onto the roof beside Ladybug. “Lila, just stop lying. You can fix your mistakes right now. I’m purr-etty sure you’re not a bad person, if you could just tell us the truth.”

Volpina snarls at Chat. “I am  _ not _ a liar.”

Chat snickers. “Hey, no need to be catty. That’s my job.”

Volpina growls. “I’ll show you, you rotten cat!” She jumps up, launching herself at the actual heroes.

Chat and Ladybug jump out of the way, going in opposite directions. Volpina leaps towards Chat, swinging her flute wildly. Any facade of a sweet, helpful hero is long gone.

The next few minutes pass with Volpina lunging at whichever hero is closest, and the two dodging while trying to grab her fake Fox Miraculous.

When Volpina leaps after Chat, only to go flying off of the roof, Ladybug can’t help but snort. Chat chuckles too, then they jump down after her.

Volpina pulls herself up, and quickly plays a melody on her flute. Or, well, she tries to. Distracted by her rage, the angry Akuma hadn’t seen Nino sneaking up on her until he bats away the flute.

“Why you little-” Volpina turns to hit Nino, but Chat tackles her, knocking her back down.

“Cataclysm!” Chat shouts, and taps her necklace with a single finger. The necklace disintegrates, a little black and purple butterfly emerging.

Ladybug catches it with a smile, swinging her yoyo and shouting, “Miraculous Ladybug!” After releasing the cleansed Akuma with her usual, “Bye bye, little butterfly,” she turns to face Lila, and Alya’s phone.

“Lila,” Ladybug greets, interrupted momentarily by Chat’s ring beeping- the start of his timer. 

“Ladybug, hey!” Lila tries to be cheerful, tries to save face. “You saved me again!”

Ladybug keeps her expression as disappointed as possible (it’s not hard, she mastered the look when reprimanding Manon). “Lila, this needs to stop. You can’t lie and pretend you have a Miraculous over and over again. Rena Rouge is the fox I chose, not you. I’ve seen your ‘interview,’ too. And I’d like to clear that up right now.” She faces Alya fully. “Lila is not my best friend, and I am not her best friend. I am not even her  _ friend _ . The only times I’ve interacted with her is when she was Akumatized, and when she tried telling a boy that she was Volpina the first time. And I’m disappointed to see that such false, obviously untrue claims have been put on the Ladyblog as facts.” Hearing Chat’s ring beep again, Ladybug turns, readying her yoyo. “I expected claims to be backed up. Here’s a correct statement, however, from a primary source: Chat Noir is my best friend. No one else, in or out of this mask.”

Chat beams. “You mean it, my lady?”

“I do, kitty. And with that, it’s time for us to go. Bug out!” Ladybug swings off, dropping into a random alley and detransforming.

When Marinette gets back to class, she sits next to Alya, who’s uploading the video. She thinks about her final statement, ‘ _ Chat Noir is my best friend. No one else, in or out of this mask. _ ’

Marinette looks at Alya. Alya, her friend. Alya, her confidant. Alya, her best friend. Alya, her fox.

Not anymore. 

Marinette has work to do, and talks to be had.

It’s time for a new fox.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	4. Of Balcony Scenes and High Roads (Be Careful Not to Fall)

Chapter Four

She doesn’t act right away. She doesn’t push for changes immediately, because she knows that this is  _ big _ . Changing a Miraculous holder, that’s more than fighting back against a bully. Marinette knows that she needs to be level-headed when she makes her decision, so she waits. When the bell rings at the end of the school day, Marinette goes straight home, not looking back, not waiting to see if anyone has something to say.

She doesn’t want to hear it, anyways. Doesn’t want to see if anything has changed on the surface, if her friends are all back on her side or if they’re still going to forget her. No, Marinette just wants to get her work done and take a moment to breathe. And that’s exactly what she does. Monday afternoon passes in a blur of homework, designing, and fighting her papa in Ultimate Mecha Strike.

It’s when the stars are out that she talks to Tikki. She sits on her balcony, sketching a new shirt design, and the tiny goddess is playing in her roses.

“Tikki?” Marinette starts, glancing up for a moment. “Do you think I should keep Rena?”

Tikki pauses and turns to her chosen. “Do you want to?” The kwami simply asks. 

And that’s a valid question. Because  _ does  _ she?

Marinette shrugs. “She’s been a good Fox. She knows how to make illusions, even if she can’t see through the lies and illusions of others, and I’ve been able to count on her before. And now she doesn’t believe Lila, so it should be fine.”

Tikki is patient, just like Marinette, and she waits for the bluenette to speak with a gentle smile.

Marinette sighs, setting down her sketchbook. “But...she left me. She left me in the back, and even though I got my spot back...it’s not the same. And she thought I was just jealous! She pushed away my concerns, questioned me for sources when I tried to tell her the truth, and left me.” She can feel the anger rising up, and takes a deep breath. Calmer, she repeats, “Tikki, she left me. She didn’t trust me, she didn’t care about how I felt about anything.”

Tikki nods sadly, flying closer and landing on Marinette’s knee. “She wasn’t there for you,” she admits.

Marinette nods, frowning. “She wasn’t. She left me so easily, and she left Lila just as quickly. They  _ all  _ did.” She hums, stroking Tikki’s head with a finger. “I’ve been their friends for years. And yet they’re so quick to change sides. Tikki, that’s not dependable, is it?”

Tikki shakes her head sadly.

“That’s what I thought. I don’t know if I can trust them, but…”  _ But that was for Marinette, and they haven’t betrayed Ladybug.  _ She shakes her head and smiles at Tikki. “Why don’t you head to bed? I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

Tikki nods. “Of course. Good night, Marinette. And don’t worry, we’ll figure this out together!”

Marinette looks at the sky again, wishing that her decision could be easier. Wishing that something would give her a sign, tell her that her choice is a good one. Tell her something, anything that could possibly help her decide what to do.

The skies answer her prayer, and Chat Noir hops onto her balcony with a grin. Marinette jolts in her seat, silently thanking the little goddess for going back into the room.

“Chat Noir! What are you doing here? Is there another Akuma?” Marinette asks, glancing around as she sits up.

Chat just waves his hand, as if brushing away the worries. “There’s no Akuma, princess. I was just on a patrol, and thought I’d drop in and see you.”

Marinette blinks at that. “And why is that?”

He frowns. “I heard that today’s Akuma was after you. Volpina.”

“Oh.” Marinette shrugs. “Yeah, but I’m fine. I got out of there as soon as I saw her.”

Chat chuckles. “I’m sure you did. You’re smart, princess.”

“Please. Anyone could’ve known that it was an Akuma.”

“Because we have Rena Rouge?” Chat guesses, smiling once more.

“No, because it was Lie-la.”

Chat frowns. “You seem to have it out for that girl. Is there a reason why?”

“Because she’s a liar. I hate liars.” It’s simple, and Marinette doubts that Chat wants to hear that Marinette was threatened. 

“But were her lies hurting anyone?”

Marinette blinks. “I’m sorry, what?”

Chat doesn’t catch her disbelieving tone, and shrugs. “I mean, telling a few stories doesn’t seem like a big deal. If her lies didn’t hurt anyone, then did it matter enough to expose her?”

Marinette opens her mouth to retort, to ask him if  _ he’d _ like being threatened and losing his friend group, and watching them fall for tempting lies and empty promises, but then she freezes. Because something about his words doesn’t sit right with her.

Marinette stands up, locks eyes with Chat Noir, and asks, “How did you know?”

“What?” 

“How did you know that I  _ exposed her _ ? She never mentioned that, I saw the Ladyblog’s video.”

Chat Noir gulps, reaching a hand up to rub the back of his neck. “Oh, uh, you know...Adrien told me!”

Marinette pauses. “He did?”

“Yeah. I ran into him, he gave me a quick rundown on it.”

“Right.” Marinette steps away. “Well, I’m going to sleep. Good night, Chat Noir.”

Chat looks confused by the abrupt end of conversation, and pouts. “Wait, princess, my question-”

“Good night. I have school tomorrow, and I have a bad habit for running late.” Marinette doesn’t wait for his response, instead dropping through her door onto her bed and shutting it. She listens to Chat’s pacing for a few moments, then hears him jumping away. 

Belatedly, she realizes that she could’ve asked Chat for his opinion on betrayal, and what that means to him on each side of the mask. 

She’ll decide tomorrow.

\-----

Tuesday morning comes quickly, and Marinette actually wakes up with her alarm. She talks to Tikki as she gets ready, telling the Kwami about Chat’s visit.

“And Adrien told Chat!” Marinette exclaims, tugging on her of her pigtails. 

“Did Chat say why?” Tikki asks, nibbling on a cookie.

“No, but it sounds like neither of them realize how much Lila’s lies did.” She lets out a sigh, then turns turn her mirror to put on some mascara. “But that’s fine. Adrien wanted the high road, and to act like nothing was happening, so I’ll pretend that nothing happened yesterday either. Do you think Lila will try lying again?”

Tikki shrugs. “She may pretend to be on another trip, but I doubt your teacher will believe it anymore.”

It turns out that Lila isn’t even staying in the school. When class starts, Miss Bustier tells her students that Mrs. Rossi came in yesterday afternoon to pull her daughter out of the school- and the country. Apparently, Mrs. Rossi didn’t know the school was open for all of these months, and had no clue about her daughter's many Akuma forms. She’d only checked the Ladyblog after hearing a coworker talk about it, and everything went downhill for Lila from there.

Marinette wonders if she should feel bad. From the looks of her classmates, who all seem amused by her downfall, or angered by the mention of her lies, she shouldn’t.

But from the disappointed look Adrien gives everyone, and the lingering, disapproving stare he gives her, Marinette has a feeling that the sunshine boy feels otherwise. 

But she doesn’t feel good or bad. No, watching the class, Marinette can only feel relief and disappointment. Because the lying is over, and she’s safe. And yet she doesn’t feel like she has her friends back. She doesn’t trust them anymore, now that she’s seen how easily they can leave her behind.

Marinette is leaning even more against giving Alya or Nino a Miraculous, and she already knows that she can’t give one to Chloé. Because Chloé is revealed to the world, and it’s not safe to put Queen Bee out there when it could hurt her family, or give Hawkmoth some other opening.

And if she uses Rena Rouge or Carapace, what’s stopping them from betraying Ladybug’s trust? She likes to think that they’d have undying loyalty to the spotted heroine, but she thought that Alya and Nino trusted Marinette, too. Can she trust them to prove her wrong? Can she risk trying?

It isn’t Alya or Nino who influence her final say, however. Not at first, at least. Instead, it’s Adrien. 

When the bell for lunch rings, the class doesn’t move. It’s like time is standing still when Adrien turns to Marinette and asks, “Hey, Marinette, can I talk to you?”

Suddenly, Marinette has a feeling that she’s about to get a lecture on morality. So she smiles and nods. “Of course!”

He pauses. “Outside? We can head to the bakery.”

Marinette frowns. “Whatever you want to say to me, you can say right here.” She’s sick of people talking to her in private, where no one can hear what she’s being told. She hates being cornered.

Adrien seems hesitant, especially when the others don’t move. They’re all curious, even if most of them hide it by pretending to be busy. But Adrien seems resolute in his opinion, and opens his mouth.

It’s his first mistake.

“You shouldn’t have exposed Lila like that,” Adrien says. “She wasn’t hurting anyone by telling a few tall tales, and I don’t get why you had to be so public about it.”

As soon as the words are out, Nino turns around, looking hurt. “ _ Dude. _ ” He frowns. “You  _ knew _ ?”

Adrien nods, oblivious to the pain in his best friend’s eyes. “Yeah. I just, I didn’t see a reason to hurt her. She’d only get upset if Mari tried to expose her, and hurting others never makes them a better person.”

“But she hurt me!” Nino says. “She promised me, she promised all of us so much! She told me I’d meet Spielberg, man! Spielberg.”

“And she told me that Ladybug was her best friend!” Alya chimes in, the anger clear in her voice. “She let me interview her multiple times and post her lies! She let me put up fake news so she could get more attention!”

“She told me that she’d introduce Kitty Section to Jagged,” Rose says, tears in her eyes. “We’ve been looking forward to hearing a response from him!”

Adrien sputters. “But, but-”

And then Marinette takes a deep breath and stands. “Lila threatened me in the bathroom on the first day she came back.”

The class goes silent.

“She  _ what _ ?” Alya asks. Her voice has gone deadly quiet.

“She cornered me in the bathroom and said that if I didn’t play along with her lies, she’d take away all of my friends. I wanted to tell you guys, but you,” she turns to Alya, “told me to find you proof. So I did.”

“Wait, did you  _ lie _ to us to tell us the truth, then?” Alix asks, and she looks angry and lost.

“No. Nothing I said was a lie. I  _ was  _ jealous at first. But that’s why I found out Lila was lying.”

Kim frowns. “What do you mean?”

“The first day Lila came to school, I...I followed her and Adrien. And I watched her claim that she was Volpina, and that she knew Ladybug. Ladybug cut her off, telling her not to lie about having a Miraculous. Then Lila got Akumatized.”

“You both knew for months?” Nino asks. “Why didn’t you guys say anything?”

“Oh, I tried. But between you and Alya not believing me, and Adrien telling me to ‘take the high road’ and ‘if we know, isn’t that enough?’ I was done. I tried to tell you guys the truth. But you all left me, just like Lila promised.”

And then, only then, does Marinette see the guilt and shame in her classmates as they realize that they left her. But she also sees rage, and she watches as many of her classmates start to yell at Adrien for keeping her quiet, at Alya and Nino for refusing to listen, at one another for not picking up on Marinette’s sadness sooner, or for not seeing how awfully they’d treated their class representative. Even Nino and Alya are yelling at Adrien, blaming him.

Only a few people send her apologetic glances, or at least look regretful when she locks eyes with them. Juleka seems disappointed in herself, Nathaniel looks sad as he watches the class dissolve into chaos, Sabrina mouths a quick, ‘I’m sorry,’ and Chloé just looks at the class with disdain. They’re the only four who see Marinette slip out of the room for lunch.

Marinette feels her last resolve break, and she knows that she can’t trust teammates who would place blame on someone else so easily, who can’t see that they were part of the problem, who can only focus on making themselves feel better.

Marinette feels used, and wonders if she’s been their friend so they could feel good about themselves.

Marinette feels her patience for her class slipping away as she steps into the bakery.

And one glance at Tikki shows that her Kwami feels the same.

They feel the same, and together, they’ll form a new team.

One that Marinette can trust. One that Marinette can rely on. One that won’t leave her for personal gain, in or out of the mask.

Marinette is terrified, but she can do this. After all, she’s Ladybug. And with Tikki by her side, she can do anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, it looks like a new team will definitely be created. How long until Ladybug needs a new Fox, Turtle, or Bee? How will the class react to a new partner? And most importantly, how did you like the chapter? I hope all of these questions will be answered, either by you or me. Until then, au revoir! <3


	5. Truthseeker and the new Fox

Chapter Five

** **

Marinette isn’t looking forward to returning to school from lunch. Her parents seem to sense her mood when she walks past them, heading upstairs to eat, but they don’t say anything and neither does she. She just smiles, kisses their cheeks, and heads to the kitchen after making an excuse about why she’ll be in her room.

Five minutes later, Marinette is sitting at her desk with Tikki, a sandwich and some cookies sitting on her plate. 

Marinette sighs, slumping into her chair. “Today’s been hectic,” Marinette says. 

Tikki nods. “It was certainly unexpected.”

The bluenette snorts. “Yeah, but I should’ve seen it coming. Adrien kept going on and on about how we couldn’t hurt Lila’s feelings. But I, I don’t know…”

Tikki frowns. “What’s the matter?”

“I guess I thought the others would realize how much they hurt me? And actually try to  _ apologize _ or something. But instead they all just blamed each other.”

“Not all of them did that!” Tikki points out, and Marinette nods.

“You’re right. A few of them looked like they took the blame for themselves. Juleka looked devastated when she realized what had happened...I almost felt bad for  _ her _ .”

“You don’t have to feel bad for them, Marinette. You tried to tell them, and they refused to listen.” Tikki pats her arm.

Marinette smiles at the Kwami. “I know. They aren’t getting any apologies from me, not for this. If anything, I should thank them...because now I know how much I truly meant to them.”

Tikki looks sad, and starts to speak, “Marinette-”

But Marinette shakes her head. “No, Tikki, honestly. I’d rather know that they’re quick to turn on me  _ now _ , over something petty like this. Because what if I had handed out more Miraculi? Imagine if I had given one to, I don’t know, Max? Or Kim? God, what if I had given one to Adrien? What keeps them bound to Ladybug in a way that they wouldn’t betray her as easily as they did to me?”

Tikki understands perfectly, and all she can do is smile hopefully and say, “Well, I’m sure we can find new teammates! We’ll find wonderful people for you to work with.”

Marinette nods. “We will. Now, why don’t you eat your cookies? Papa baked those this morning.”

Tikki is quick to take one, beaming. Giggling, Marinette starts to eat her sandwich and pulls out some homework to do. She has a feeling that she’ll be spending less of her free time with friends (because how many friends does she even have, anymore?), so she’ll be able to work more on homework and designs. It looks like there’s positives in everything.

When it’s almost time to head back to school, Marinette packs up her bag and sighs. “I  _ really _ don’t feel like listening to my classmates blame each other for the rest of the day.”

Tikki goes to respond, but a beeping on Marinette’s phone cuts her off. There’s an update on the Ladyblog- an Akuma is on the loose by the school.

Marinette glances at the phone and snorts. "Well, looks like Hawkmoth may have answered my prayers. That's a first." She stands up and smiles at her Kwami. "You ready, Tikki?"

"Of course, Marinette!" Tikki responds.

"Alright! Tikki, spots on!"

One magical girl transformation sequence later, Ladybug hops off of her balcony and swings back to school. 

At first, she can't find the Akuma. There's no screams of fear, no angry shouting. But then she sees the victim of the day in the courtyard, stalking after a student.

The Akuma looks like an odd judge, dressed in a flowing black and pink robe. But they hold a golden gavel, one that seems to spark in the Akuma's hand. Ladybug would assume that this is just a person angered by a court case, but then they turn to face her.

The short blonde hair and wide blue eyes are still present, and Ladybug finds herself staring at Rose.

Rose begins to speak. "I am Truthseeker, and I demand the truth. Those who have lied to the court shall be punished." She reaches for the girl she's been following, Mireille, and taps her with the gavel.

Instantly, words start falling out of Mireille's mouth. "I'm terrified of being on camera," She admits, "and every day I nearly faint when I go to work as the weather girl. I still feel guilty for beating Aurore in the vote for the spot, and I wish I hadn't competed."

Truthseeker removes the gavel, eyes softer. "All will be well. The truth will set you free. You may go and feel peace." She taps Mireille again, and the girl smiles wistfully and walks off.

A cough catches Ladybug's attention. Alya is hiding nearby, already recording Truthseeker.

" _ Ladybug _ ," Alya whispers. "Come here." 

Ladybug doesn't have a choice, because Truthseeker overhears and begins to head in Alya's direction.

"Alya," Truthseeker cooes. "Come here, tell me how you felt, betraying Marinette for  _ Lila. _ " The word is filled with hate, and Ladybug notes that.

Alya freezes, staring at the approaching Akuma. Ladybug sighs, pushing aside any hurt as she swings down, quickly picking up Alya before swinging out of reach.

Truthseeker glares at Ladybug. "You're going against the court. Only a criminal would be willing to do so. What are you hiding, Ladybug?"

Ladybug glares, setting Alya down. "That's for me to know, sorry." 

A purple butterfly outline appears over Truthseeker's face as Chat Noir hops onto the roof beside Ladybug. The Akuma is distracted, ignoring her opponents.

"Three days in a row?" Chat asks softly. "That's claw-ful of Hawkmoth."

"Not now, Chat," Ladybug mutters back. "The object is her gavel. We have to break it, but if she touches you with it you'll spill your secrets."

Chat blanches at that, then smirks. "Don't you worry, my lady, I'll be able to handle that!"

Before Ladybug can respond, Chat jumps at the distracted Akuma, knocking her over. But Truthseeker is quick to retaliate, kicking the cat boy straight off of her. He crashes into a wall, then hops up.

"That all you got? You know, you could just  _ ask  _ people to be honest." Chat leaps to the side, avoiding Truthseeker's gavel as she swings it wildly.

She huffs back in response. "They will only continue to lie! They must be punished! Lila must be punished!" She knocks Chat back, and he trips.

Ladybug leaps at Truthseeker before she can reach Chat. "Here's some honesty for you: I'd prefer if you didn't hit my partner!" Ladybug says, swinging her yoyo as she tries to knock the gavel out of the Akuma's hand.

"I'd prefer if a liar wasn't allowed to ruin my class!" Truthseeker retorts. "But I'll fix everything! I just have to find Lila and bring her to justice!" As if a switch was flipped, Truthseeker jolts away from Ladybug with a gasp. "Lila! I need to go find her." Ladybug wraps her yoyo around Truthseeker's arm, but Truthseeker just yanks her arm around and throws Ladybug into another wall, then darts off. In mere seconds, the courtyard is empty except for Ladybug, Chat, and Alya, who's finally gotten off of the roof.

Pocketing her phone, Alya races up to the spotted heroine. "Ladybug! You need to go after her!"

Ladybug nods as Chat stands, but Chat is the one to respond. "She said she wants to go after Lila for lying, should we hide Lila somewhere? We can't put civilians in danger…"

Alya scoffs. "Lila brought this onto herself. She tried claiming that you were her best friend, Ladybug!"

"Yes. And you posted the interview." Alya shrinks under Ladybug’s glare, but Ladybug already has an idea forming. "No, we don't have to hide Lila, but Truthseeker won't stay still unless she finds her."

"So you're using an innocent as bait?" Chat looks appalled, and despite how badly Ladybug wants Lila's lies to be completely destroyed, she shakes her head.

"No, we'll just let Truthseeker  _ believe  _ that she found Lila."

Alya beams. "So you're using Rena Rouge?" She bounces up and down excitedly, to Chat's confusion. "I can't wait!"

Chat gives her an odd look, and Alya rushes to add more words. "To see her! She's so cool!"

Chat blinks at her, then grins. “I see! It makes sense that you’d be such a big fan.”

Ladybug wonders if Chat has any other go to idea. She won’t complain about such an easy excuse, of course. And by the looks of things, neither will Alya, who just nods quickly, grins, and runs off, shouting that she’ll go look for where Truthseeker went and post it on the blog.

Ladybug sighs when the reporter is gone, then turns to Chat. “I have to go get the Fox Miraculous. Think you can handle looking for Truthseeker alone, kitty?”

Chat Noir bows to her. “Anything for you, bugaboo.” He reaches for her hand and moves to kiss it, but Ladybug is quicker, moving to latch her yoyo onto a building and swing herself away.

When she gets to the same street as Fu, she drops into an alley and detransforms. Tikki slips into her purse and begins to eat a cookie Marinette had stashed there while the bluenette walks up to Fu’s home and knocks on the door. 

It’s opened immediately, and Master Fu smiles up at her. “Ah, Ladybug, come on in. I made tea,” He greets pleasantly, opening the door enough that she can step inside.

“I would love to have some tea, but this isn’t the time. I need the Fox Miraculous, Master Fu.” Marinette eyes the gramophone, and Fu nods, moving to open it up.

Revealing all of the Miraculi, Fu presents the box for the Fox Miraculous to her, saying, “Here is the necklace for Rena Rouge.”

Marinette, who had been reaching to grab the box, hesitates. Frowning, she says, “Master Fu...I’m not giving the Fox to Rena.”

“Is she out of commission?” He asks, eyes filled with concern. “Hurt?”

“No, but she...she’s not dependable. I can’t trust her.”

Fu frowns at that. “That is...upsetting to hear, but I have faith in your judgement. If you do not believe in Rena Rouge’s capabilities, pick a new Fox. I am sure you will have better luck with this one.”

Marinette blinks. “You...you aren’t mad?”

“Of course not. Realizing that you’ve made a mistake, and choosing to fix it before it gets worse, that’s the right way to handle this. It’s how I should’ve handled my mistakes…” He frowns, then nods to himself. “Ladybug, I think we need to have a discussion after this battle. Try to come by soon, please.”

“Of course, Master Fu.” Taking the Fox necklace, Marinette smiles. “I won’t let you down.” 

“I know you won’t,” Fu says, but it’s too late, because Marinette has already run out of the door.

Hidden in another alley, Marinette transforms back into Ladybug. Seconds later, her yoyo is ringing- a call from Chat Noir. She slides open the yoyo, accepting the call.

“Buginette!” Chat calls out quickly. “Have you seen her yet?”

“Not yet, kitty. I just got the Miraculous.” She’s already hopping across Paris, unable to use her yoyo, trying to think of someone she can trust to play the flute.

She has an idea.

Chat nods, jumping onto another roof as Ladybug turns around, jumping towards the river. “Alright. I’ll see you two soon!” The call drops.

As soon as the screen goes black, Ladybug slides the yoyo shut and begins to swing, going faster. In minutes, she’s arrived.

The Liberty rocks gently on the water, and seems to be deserted. But the sound of music is easy to hear, and Ladybug follows it to find Luka sitting alone, strumming his guitar.

“Luka,” Ladybug says, and the boy startles.

“Ladybug?” He stands up, setting aside the guitar. “Is everything alright?”

“A girl from  Collège Françoise Dupont has been Akumatized, and I need your help.”

Luka frowns. “But that’s where my sister goes! And Marinette! Are they okay?”

Admittedly, Ladybug hasn’t seen Juleka. So she rests a hand on Luka’s shoulder. 

“Luka, please relax. I’m sure they’re alright, but I need your help to keep it that way.”

Eyes full of determination, the normally relaxed boy nods. “Of course. What do you need me to do, Ladybug?”

Ladybug pulls out the box for the Miraculous and says, “This is the Miraculous of the Fox. I need you to put this on and become a hero with me, so that we can stop Truthseeker.”

He touches the necklace, but looks confused. “I thought you had Rena Rouge.”

Ladybug frowns and looks away. “She is...no longer an option, I’m afraid.”

He gets it, and nods, picking up the necklace. Any calmness fades away when Trixx appears. “Woah! What  _ are _ you, little guy?”

Trixx yawns, stretching. “I’m Trixx, the Kwami of Illusions! With me, you can transform into a hero and help Ladybug and Chat Noir. To transform, just say, ‘Trixx, let’s pounce.’”

Luka nods and puts on the necklace, taking a deep breath at the same time. “Okay, got it. Trixx, let’s pounce!”

Ladybug smiles when the orange light washes over Luka’s body, leaving behind a Fox hero. His suit is a dark, calm orange with a white chest, and black boots that look similar to Chat’s, except for a touch of fiery blue that traces the bottoms. Instead of the long black gloves that Rena and Volpina have had, Luka only has the glove look up to his wrist, blending into the orange instead of cutting off abruptly. His hair dye changes, going from teal to the blue on his boots. A pair of fox ears poke out of his head, with a matching fabric tail behind him. Finally, his face is covered by an orange and white mask that has a blue outline around the eyes and edges of the mask.

He looks good, and Ladybug can’t help but blush. The suit does  _ not _ hide any muscles, good to know. 

Her new Fox looks up to her with trust. “Alright, what do I do now?”

Ladybug smiles. “Follow my lead, Fox boy.”

He chuckles, and she leads him out of the boat. They jump onto a nearby rooftop and Ladybug pulls out her yoyo. As if on cue, Chat begins to call again.

“My lady!” He shouts as soon as she picks up. “She’s at the Eiffel Tower!”

“Alright, try to distract her until we get there. It won’t be long.”

He smiles, nods, and hangs up, a taunt already leaving his lips.

Luka smiles, leaping onto another rooftop. “You two seem close.”

Ladybug smiles back. “He’s my closest friend. But I need to teach you some things, so the chit chat needs to be put on hold.”

“Of course.”

Ladybug swings onto the next roof, her new Fox keeping up with her. “To start, your weapon is your flute. If you play it and say, ‘Mirage,’ you can create an illusion. But once you use it, you only have five minutes before you detransform. Other than that, you can use the flute as a handheld weapon. It’s not flimsy, so don’t worry about that.”

He nods. “And why do you need the Fox today?”

“Truthseeker is hunting Lila down. We can’t get her Akumatized object unless we keep her still, and since we can’t use the actual girl as bait-”

“You want me to create an illusion of her.” He grins. “That’s genius, Ladybug.”

She giggles. “I try my best, thank you, Lu-” She cuts herself off. “What do you want to be called?”

“Arctic Fox.” The words come out immediately.

Ladybug smiles. “Arctic Fox it is. Well, let’s go, because it’s time for your first Akuma battle.”

On cue, they reach the Eiffel Tower. Ladybug can see Truthseeker, who’s trying to hit Chat Noir with her golden gavel. Chat Noir just keeps mocking the Akuma, spouting out puns and comments as he jumps out of her reach. 

Arctic Fox eyes the fight with caution, then turns to Ladybug. “Want me to cast the illusion now?”

She studies the scene. “That may work. Okay, here’s what you need to do.”

Just as Ladybug finishes telling Arctic the plan, Truthseeker manages to land a hit on Chat Noir. 

“Now, you will tell me your truths,” Truthseeker says, grinning wildly as she presses the gavel to Chat’s shoulder. 

Ladybug feels her eyes widen in fear as Chat opens his mouth, worried that his identity is about to be revealed. She jumps off of the roof, willing herself to be faster.

“I’m in love with Ladybug,” Chat blurts out, then he grins goofily at the Akuma.

“That’s not a sec-” Truthseeker is cut off when Ladybug pulls her away from Chat with her yoyo. 

“You just wanted a truth!” Chat says happily, and Ladybug sighs in relief, glad to see her partner is safe.

Truthseeker screams angrily, then leaps at the Parisian duo. But just as Ladybug moves to jump away, Truthseeker freezes, staring behind the two. Then her grin doubles.

“Lila, glad to see that you’ve  _ finally _ stopped hiding. Are you ready to face the truth?”

Ladybug and Chat glance behind them, and sure enough, Lila is standing there, eyes filled with fear.

“I’m not a liar!” The Italian girl says, as if it’s true. Ladybug glances up, and sees Arctic standing behind a chimney, his gaze fully on Lila.

Ladybug wonders if Luka likes the Ladyblog. Even the voice is spot on. 

Truthseeker glares at the illusion. “Not a liar? Not a liar! Lila Rossi, you have torn apart my class and for that you shall be punished!”

“You- you can’t! There’s no proof of anything I’ve said being a lie.” Lila smirks, her false persona fading away, and for a moment Ladybug feels angry at the illusion, too. 

Truthseeker scowls. “One touch with this gavel, and your lies will be shattered as you are forced to tell us the truth. And I know a certain blogger is hiding nearby, so the whole  _ city _ will know in seconds.” She leaps at Lila, gavel at the ready.

“Now,” Ladybug whispers to Chat, who immediately leaps at Truthseeker.

It’s over in seconds. As soon as Truthseeker touches Lila, the illusion breaks. Truthseeker falls to the ground in confusion, so shocked that Chat Noir has the time to activate Cataclysm and destroy her gavel. Ladybug catches the Akuma in her yoyo, then fixes any damage with a simple Miraculous Ladybug.

When the powers fade away, Rose collapses to the floor. Ladybug walks over to the blonde.

“What’s wrong?” Ladybug asks. “You were Akumatized, and you were shouting about Lila.”

Rose sniffles. “Ladybug, it’s awful! This nasty liar, she- she tore apart our class! Everyone is upset with each other, and they’re blaming one another for the rifts she caused! And our class president…” Rose starts to cry again. “I’ve been a terrible friend, Ladybug. Marinette must hate me by now”

Ladybug frowns. “I’m sure if you try to talk to your friend, she’ll accept an apology. She may not forgive, and from all I’ve heard she probably won’t forget, but it’ll help if she at least knows that you understand what you did wrong. Good luck, Rose.”

Rose smiles, wiping away tears. “Thank you.” Then she gasps. “Oh, I should be in class right now! I need to go, but thank you again!”

Ladybug watches the blonde run off, hope in her eyes, then turns to her partner.

Or, well, partners. Because Chat Noir is staring at Arctic Fox, who’s patiently waiting for Ladybug. 

Chat starts to speak. “Bugaboo, who is this?”

The sound of footsteps reaches Ladybug’s ears, and she turns to see Alya, who struggles to remain composed as she holds up her phone, obviously recording the trio.

Ladybug speaks calmly. “This is our new Fox.” She says it both to Chat and the phone, and her expression leaves no room for arguments.

Chat Noir nods, then smiles at Arctic. “Nice to meet you. What’s the name?”

“Arctic Fox, and it’s been a pleasure to work alongside you two.” His necklace beeps, and Chat’s ring beeps seconds later. Ladybug, who didn’t use a Lucky Charm, doesn’t have a time limit, but she does worry about Arctic’s. 

Chat frowns at his ring. “I guess that’s my cue to leave. Farewell, my lady, Arctic, ladyblogger.” He smiles, waves at the three, then extends his baton and hops away. 

Ladybug turns to Arctic Fox. “Come on, we need to go before you detransform.” 

A few moments later, they’re hidden in a nearby alley. Arctic Fox detransforms, and Luka smiles as he takes off the necklace.

“That was exhilarating,” Luka breathes out. “Thank you for trusting me, Ladybug. And if you ever need my help again…”

“I’ll look forward to working with you again, Luka,” Ladybug replies, and Luka nods. “I need to go, but thank you, too, for taking up the role of the Fox. You were wonderful.” Ladybug swings off, heading back to Fu’s. She passes the Eiffel Tower on her way, and sees Alya.

Alya, of course, sees her too. Hands clenched, the blogger shouts out, “Ladybug!” She sounds angry.

Ladybug sighs, mutters a quick prayer that there won’t be another Akuma today, and leaps down to see what Alya wants to say. 

She doesn’t have to wait.

“What was that?” Alya asks in a hushed tone. Despite the fact that no one is around, Alya at least has the sense to keep her voice down. “You  _ knew _ I was ready,  _ knew _ where I’d be, but instead you chose  _ him _ ?! Some new guy to be the Fox? Why would you do that, Ladybug?”

Honestly, she’d been hoping to avoid this conversation. Because even if Alya isn’t a friend anymore, it still hurts to say this to the girl’s face. 

“Why did I pick Arctic Fox?” Ladybug asks in response. “Because I needed a teammate that I could trust.”

Alya gasps, and she scowls at the spotted heroine. “Are you saying that you can’t trust me? Why not? Is this-” She glares at Ladybug. “Is this really about the Lila interviews? Because I’ve already learned my lesson! I’ll fact check, I swear! I already have people leaving because they think I’m not a ‘good, reputable source’ now. It was an honest mistake!”

Ladybug shakes her head. “No, Alya. That was a small part, but the interviews aren’t the reason I can no longer trust you.”  _ It was so much that I can’t even say to you, so much that you did that hurt the other half of me. _

“So that’s it? I made one mistake and you don’t trust me anymore? I do one thing wrong and I’m no longer Rena Rouge?” She seems to be in disbelief. “I’m an excellent hero, Ladybug. And Arctic won’t be able to be as useful as I am.”

Ladybug frowns. “Alya, your time as Rena Rouge is up. I can’t have a team that is willing to turn on me at any moment. I can’t work with people that won’t listen. I need trust and dependability on both sides of the relationship for any partnerships to work, and I can’t say that I found that from your end. So, for now, au revoir.” 

With that, Ladybug swings away, leaving Alya behind in order to go to Fu’s, then race to school.

Marinette ignores the way Alya tries to hide her pain in class. She doesn’t want to see Alya rush for excuses, doesn’t want to see the hurt and anger inside of the past Fox.

Alya doesn’t bring it up, either. When the bell rings, she leaves the school without waiting for anyone.

Marinette heads home, too, feeling guilty yet free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we now have a new Fox! I had this planned for a while, and I'm happy to finally bring Luka into the fight! (Let me just say it now: I am terrible with costume designs, and names are just as bad.)
> 
> I'm glad that I finally had a chance to write more, and I hope that I find time soon to get another chapter out. (I feel bad, the other story I'm trying to work on has one chapter so far, and I need to write more before I can start posting it.)
> 
> But I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and have a wonderful day! Until next time, au revoir! <3


	6. A Class Divided...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Against Itself Cannot Stand.

Chapter Six

After Arctic Fox’s debut as a hero yesterday, Marinette knew that he’d become a popular subject to talk about for a while. But she didn’t expect to walk into a debate about which Fox is better: Rena Rouge or Arctic Fox. Alas, that’s exactly what she finds when she gets into class (early again, it seems that Marinette’s luck is coming in  _ strong _ ). 

“He was so cool! He knew exactly what to do! When he came in with that illusion, the battle was over in seconds!” Alix shouts, practically vibrating in excitement. 

“He looked ready to  _ fight _ !” Kim adds in. “If that illusion hadn’t worked, he probably would’ve taken down Truthseeker faster than Rena Rouge ever could’ve! Guy looks ripped.”

Max nods. “Taking in the apparent physique of Arctic Fox compared to Rena Rouge’s slimmer, more feminine look, he does appear to be stronger.”

Chloé scoffs, apparently just as involved in the debate. “ _ Please _ . Looks mean nothing in this. I mean, look at  _ Ladybug _ . She’s skinny but she can take down Akumas every single time.”

“I hate to say it, but I gotta side with Chloé,” Nino says. “That dudette can kick serious butt, and Rena looks ready to do the same. And Rena seemed like an amazing hero, so why replace her?”

Marinette, who’s sitting beside Alya now, sees the way Alya smiles at Nino’s praise, even if that happiness quickly fades away. Marinette looks back to her other classmates, ignoring the way she feels guilty for causing that pain.

She shouldn’t have to feel guilty for doing what’s better for her and her team.

Chloé scoffs, rolling her eyes. “Who says I’m on Rena’s team? I was just making a point about their looks. Arctic Fox seems like a better hero than Rena.”

Alya glares at Chloé. “And how would you know that? You weren’t even at that battle!”

Chloé rolls her eyes again. “I don’t have to be. Good heroes recognize good heroes-”

“As if you’re a good hero,” Alya remarks.

Chloé raises an eyebrow at Alya. “For one, I am a  _ wonderful _ hero. If I wasn’t, Ladybug wouldn’t have come back for me anymore. And secondly, I was talking about  _ Ladybug. _ She said it herself, Arctic Fox is the new Fox. She found a better choice, a  _ better hero _ , and if she’s not the best at being one, then who is? And who else could make a good team?”

Marinette can’t help but smile, and forces her blush away, lest anyone wonder why plain old Marinette is flustered by Chloé’s compliments for Ladybug. 

But she can’t help but say, “I agree with Chloé.”

Immediately, Alya’s gaze turns to her. And if Marinette wasn’t Ladybug, she wouldn’t know why Alya seems so betrayed. “You do?” She asks, voice filled with obvious hurt.

“You do?” Chloé repeats with the same shock, but then she laughs. “Of course you do. Looks like you do have a brain, Dupain-Cheng.”

Marinette nods. “Arctic Fox seems like a wonderful hero from what I’ve seen, and Ladybug had to have known he’d be better if she replaced Rena Rouge.”

“Or maybe Rena just had to step down from the fighting?”  Mylène suggests. “I think she’s wonderful, but perhaps the battles were too much? They have lives out of saving Paris, don’t they?”

Ivan nods along as his girlfriend speaks.

Sabrina shakes her head. “Doesn’t it seem too sudden, though? I’m sure Ladybug would’ve given  _ some  _ explanation for why Rena is gone now. Maybe it’s just a trick, to throw people off after Volpina’s recent Akumatization. I don’t think Rena Rouge should be replaced without any explanation.”

Chloé eyes Sabrina with distaste. “You’re just saying that because you like Rena Rouge’s costume more than Arctic Fox’s variation, and want to see it again.”

Sabrina nods. “That too. Nevertheless, I do hope Rena will return.”

Nathaniel pipes up from the back of the classroom. “Same. I  _ just  _ learned how to draw Rena Rouge from the three clear images on Google, it feels like a waste now that she’s just gone...I hope she returns.”

Rose frowns. “I think we should give Arctic Fox a chance. I was the Akuma he battled, and he seemed sweet when they broke the object and I wasn’t an Akuma any longer!”

Alya huffs. “And you don’t think Rena Rouge was sweet?”

Rose’s eyes widen. “That’s not what I meant, I just-”

“There’s nothing wrong with Rena, but she’s gone now. Arctic is the Fox now, so what’s the point in wishing he was gone? I think we should give him a chance, see what he does,” Juleka says calmly, and Rose nods, smiling.

Alya is visibly upset by this answer, and her eyes scan the room, looking for someone to back up her side. Her gaze lands on the model in the desk before her.

“Adrien!” Alya snaps. “What do you think? Rena Rouge or  _ Arctic Fox _ ?”

Adrien shrugs, and he looks conflicted. After a moment, he frowns. “I think Ladybug chose wrong. Rena Rouge should have stayed.”

Marinette sees how Alya looks more satisfied, more justified, by this answer, and can’t help but ask, “And why is that? What about Arctic is wrong?”

Adrien shrugs again, not making eye contact. “I don’t know, he just...I think Ladybug should’ve kept Rena? I didn’t see anything special about Arctic Fox, he just didn’t have the...the mischievous nature a Fox should have.”

Alix speaks up. “We only saw him after the battle, maybe he’s hiding a mischievous nature.”

“And anyways, Rena wasn’t very mischievous herself. I’d say she seemed arrogant and sure of herself, and definitely more excitable than Arctic, but not better than him,” Chloé adds, then scoffs. “But I’ll get a better read on him the next time that I’m Queen Bee.”

“But Rena was cooler!” Alya shouts. “And she knew what to do and  _ deserved  _ to keep her role!”

“And Arctic and Chat Noir don’t even seem to get along the same way Rena and Chat did,” Nino points out. “Even Chat had no clue who Arctic was at first, they met  _ after _ the battle. At least with Rena, the two could joke around.”

“Yeah,” Adrien agrees, “Arctic will just get in Chat’s way with Ladybug.”

Marinette blinks at that. “I’m sorry, what?”

Adrien looks at her. “Well, I just-”

Chloé sighs. “Adrikins, honey, you have to let go of that fantasy.”

“What fantasy?” Marinette asks, wondering where this conversation went.

“Adrikins is a LadyNoir shipper,” Chloé says, as if everyone already knew. “But it’s  _ obviously  _ not happening, just like Rena  _ obviously  _ isn’t the better hero or ever coming back. Ladybug made her choice, she deserves the respect that she has  _ earned _ and have someone who treats her right.”

“Chat wouldn’t treat her right?” Adrien asks, and he looks like he’s been spat on and attacked.

Max clears his throat. “Chat Noir has a repeated history of asking Ladybug out despite her many previous, very clear rejections. He also has a terrible habit of throwing tantrums whenever Ladybug rejects him, and does not seem to understand that ‘no’ means ‘no,’ instead of ‘ask again later.’”

“But he loves her? Wouldn’t giving up just show that he doesn’t really love her?”

Alix snorts. “Adrien, that’s only in the movies. In real life, it’s harassment.”

Adrien blinks, confused. “If it was, wouldn’t Ladybug make him stop?”

“She’s tried, by telling him no over and over,” Chloé points out. “But apparently Chat has air in his skull instead of a brain.”

Adrien doesn’t look convinced, and brushes off their comments. Alya seems to be just as put off by the whole conversation, and Nino looks worried on his girlfriend’s behalf. The rest of the class seems to have gone back to debating if Rena should have been replaced.

Marinette just sits in silence, thinking about Alix’s comment.

‘ _ Harassment? _ ’ Marinette thinks. She doesn’t get to ponder how true that statement is, though, because Miss Bustier comes into the room and starts taking attendance.

It looks like this will be a  _ long _ day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I had fun writing it, and trying to figure out who'd be on Team Rena vs. Team Arctic. Do you agree with my decisions? Which team are you on?
> 
> And other than that, do you recognize what the quote is a reference to? Only one word was changed, but it was too good for the scene to not use. ;D
> 
> Have a wonderful day, and I hope to post again soon. Until then, au revoir! <3


	7. Of Forgiveness and New Foundations

Chapter Seven

By the time the bell rings for lunch, Marinette isn’t sure what’s worse- trying to focus on her lessons, or knowing just how hurt Alya is, that she caused it, and that she can’t ask because Alya can’t admit that she was Rena Rouge.

The latter only makes the former a challenge, to be honest. Marinette wonders if she should have kept her spot in the back, because she doesn’t feel comfortable sitting next to her former best friend. 

When the lunch bell finally rings, Marinette hops out of her seat and darts out of the classroom, ready to head home and eat alone. But she’s quickly stopped by Rose and Juleka. 

“Marinette!” Rose calls out, and Marinette stops. For a split second, she’s confused, but then she remembers what she told Rose after the battle. 

So, taking a deep breath, Marinette goes, “Yes, Rose?”

The blonde looks ready to cry already, and she sniffles. “I just, I just wanted to say I’m sorry! I’ve been an awful friend and I didn’t listen to you about Lila and I,” she hiccups, tears already falling, “I should’ve known you wouldn’t just  _ hate  _ someone so quickly or without reason. I should’ve, I should’ve…” She breaks down, crying even more, and Marinette watches as Juleka moves to comfort Rose. 

Juleka speaks up before Marinette can, continuing the apology. “We should have come to you and asked what was wrong...but we didn’t. We were caught up in her lies, and that’s on us. We’re sorry for leaving you so quickly and pushing you to the back…”

Marinette sighs, then nods. “Thank you. I know her lies were exciting to hear, but they  _ were _ easy to see through if you ignored the crocodile tears. You guys should’ve noticed, or at least questioned why I was suddenly being portrayed as some kind of bully. And you all left me, too.”

The two girls can’t argue against it, and they don’t. Instead, they both look even more ashamed and dejected.

Marinette isn’t done, though. “I’m going to be honest with you two. I don’t know if I can trust you girls, or anyone in the class after this. Because in one week, I was betrayed, forgotten, and abandoned without a single person questioning why. I thought we were all friends, I thought friends had each others’ backs and trusted one another. But while I’ve always supported all of you, while I’ve always done everything I can for you guys...you left me for the next girl to come into our class. You all left without a second thought, and got mad at me when I tried to point out her lies.” She hugs herself, as if she’ll fall apart otherwise. “I can’t trust any of you right now. And I want to be friends with all of you still, but I just...it’ll be tough. Trust takes a long time to build, and I don’t know if I can go through that process all over again. I don’t know if I’ll ever trust you guys the same way ever again. Because if you abandoned me once, what stops you guys from doing it a second time?”

Rose and Juleka look confused. It’s Juleka who speaks up.

“You don’t hate us?” She asks, voice filled with awe.

“No,” Marinette responds, because it’s true. She doesn’t hate her class, despite everything. No, she still cares about them, and she wants the best in life for them. But does she trust them, does she believe that they have her back? No. 

She wants them in her life, but she knows it’ll be a challenge to have faith in any of them after this.

Rose starts to cry even harder, but her teary eyes hold resolution in their eyes. “Marinette, I’m going to be the  _ best  _ friend I can for you. I’ll- I’ll earn your trust back! Because it’s my fault that I lost it, and it’s my responsibility as a good friend to find it again.”

Juleka nods, quiet but determined.

Marinette smiles at that, and it’s small but it’s something. Pushing away some bitterness, ignoring the past memories where everything was so easy, Marinette asks, “Do you want to come to the bakery for lunch?”

The two look at her like she’s given them the world, and so she leads the way.

Because forgiveness is a choice, even if it’s harder.

Marinette has always been patient, though, and she can persevere. 

\-----

Lunch is a mess of awkward pauses and stilted conversations, but it’s progress. Actually,  _ anything  _ is progress right now, but Marinette chooses to look on the bright side. At least Juleka and Rose want to make up for the way they ditched Marinette, and Marinette is happy that she can at least  _ try  _ to redeem some of her friendships.

Even if they’ll never be as strong as they used to be, when Marinette had undying, unwavering belief in her classmates. 

It’s after they’ve finished eating that Luka is brought up. They’re talking about Kitty Section, and how they’ve been practicing.

“We created a few new songs recently,” Juleka says, then adds, “...though they were made because we thought Jagged Stone would be listening.”

Marinette offers a hesitant smile. “I’m no Jagged Stone, but I could come watch you guys practice and tell you what I think? And we can find competitions for you guys to enter. Kitty Section is really good, you’ll get noticed on your own.”

Rose beams. “That’d be amazing! And Luka hasn’t seen you in a while, so he’d love to have you watch!”

Marinette blushes at the mention of her Fox, and giggles. “Just tell me when your next practice is, and I’ll try to be there.”

Juleka smirks. “I think we’re practicing Saturday afternoon, but I’ll double check.”

Marinette nods, and the three talk for a few more minutes before Juleka and Rose decide to leave. Marinette waves them goodbye, then goes to her room to do her homework.

She finishes quickly without distractions, and uses the rest of her Wednesday afternoon to sketch out more designs, talking about different ideas with Tikki.

And if she starts to make a dress that’s inspired by her new Fox? Well, that’s for her to know, isn’t it…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I updated, so here we are again! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! <3


	8. Of Assumptions...

Chapter Eight

_ Kagami _

Adrien Agreste is the only fencer in this building who is a decent opponent in Kagami’s eyes, so when he absolutely, positively  _ sucks _ on Thursday, Kagami knows something must be wrong.

As soon as D’Argencourt calls for all of the fencers to stop, Kagami lifts up her mask to glare at the obviously upset blond. Adrien lifts his as well, and he looks tired and sad, making no attempt to hide his feelings.

“Adrien, what happened?” Kagami asks, straight to the point.

Adrien sighs and shrugs. “Nothing...my class is just being  _ ridiculous. _ ”

Interesting…

“How so?” They walk together, Kagami with her usual poise, Adrien with a sudden weariness.

“They’re just, they don’t get it! They’re all mad at me and they have no reason to be, I didn’t do anything wrong!” Adrien is practically shouting when he’s done, eyes narrowed and full of anger. He sits down on a bench with a huff.

Kagami blinks slowly as she sits down beside him, taken aback by his rage. “Did something happen that caused them to be mad? Or did you walk into class and find them angry?” She wouldn’t doubt either option, Adrien’s class seems to have some bad apples in it...specifically a certain bluenette who likes to play with Adrien’s feelings. Perhaps Marinette decided to ruin Adrien’s life, it seems like something she would do, considering how cruel-hearted she seems to be.

After all, you’d have to be a terrible person to take a different guy out on a date in front of the boy who is in love with you, right? 

Adrien’s voice interrupts her thoughts about the ice rink date.

“Well, there was this one girl in our class, Lila. And she lied a bit, but it wasn’t really hurting anyone! It was small things, like claiming that she knew a certain actor, and that she’d gone on a trip to Achu to work on pollution. Tall tales to excite the class, you know? And that’s all she really wanted to do, but then  _ Marinette _ ,” he speaks her name with a hint of bitterness, and Kagami feels like something is off, “outed her, even though she promised to leave Lila alone.”

“Marinette knew that Lila was lying?”

“We both did. And Marinette hates liars, but really, Lila wasn’t doing anything bad. She was probably just lonely, and wanted people to like her! But now she has no chance of that.”

“Why?”

“Because Lila’s mom pulled her out of the school after that. Didn’t you see Volpina?” Adrien looks at Kagami then.

“A bit. I saw her at the school, and decided it was in my best interest to leave.” Who in their right mind would stay on a battleground? It’s not like Kagami is a hero, she can’t do much against an angry Akuma. Her fencing swords only do so much.

“Well, Alya, she’s the Ladyblogger, recorded the fight, and Lila’s mom saw the video...and other videos of Lila lying about what she’s done. And her mom got so upset that she took Lila out of the country, which doesn’t even make  _ sense _ ! What was so bad about her daughter lying that she moved countries?”

It’s times like these that Kagami sees how oblivious Adrien is. “Adrien, isn’t Lila the daughter of the ambassador?”

“Yeah?”

“You do know that travels would be paid for by the embassy, right? Their travels for work, to be precise”

Adrien blinks at that. “Okay?”

“If Lila has been going to so many places to meet up with celebrities, that’s extra expenses for the embassy, and her mother could get in trouble if her bosses thought that she was flying out to see famous actors while under the guise of  _ work travels _ . Lila’s mother could have been fired over Lila’s lies.”

Adrien frowns. “But she could’ve told them the truth! That didn’t mean that the class had to know, or be so angry about it!”

“Aren’t they your friends?”

He looks at her with complete confusion. “Of course they are. One fault on their parts isn’t going to stop that.”

Kagami sighs, then asks, “Would you lie to me?”

“Of course not, why would I?”

“Would you lie to your crush, Marinette?”

Adrien looks even more lost. “Marinette isn’t my crush.”

Kagami pauses as something clicks in her head. “Marinette...isn’t your crush?”

“No. Why did you think that? She’s just a good friend.”

Kagami…has to fix things. Because if Adrien  _ doesn’t _ love Marinette, like he says, then Marinette  _ didn’t _ taunt him by taking that boy to the ice rink with them...but why was Marinette there?

“Adrien, when we went to the ice rink, why was Marinette with us?”

He blushes. “I asked her to come to help me if I messed up anything. I’ve never really gone out on dates…”

Just a few moments ago, Kagami would have been touched by how much he had wanted to impress her. But now she feels guilt.

She’s really misunderstood Marinette.

But Kagami puts that thought aside. “Alright, but would you lie to Marinette?”

Adrien shakes his head. 

“So why is it okay for Lila to lie to her ‘friends,’ but you won’t lie to yours?” She hopes that Adrien gets her point, that he sees how lies aren’t okay, no matter what.

But he just smiles. “I don’t need to lie to you guys. We’re already friends. While I wouldn’t lie, Lila just wanted friends, and I didn’t want to upset her or take away her chance to fit in.”

Kagami stands up, and she’s filled with disappointment for the blond boy who used to make her cheeks as red as her fencing outfit. But now she just wonders how oblivious he really is, and how much he understands about friendship.

So she sighs, and says, “I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodbye, Adrien.”

Adrien has that confused look again, and Kagami feels the urge to sit him down and explain how much those lies probably hurt his class...but she doesn’t know what lies were told, and what’s been said. And Adrien has made himself the victim, so she can’t go off of his word alone.

Adrien waves, confused, and Kagami goes to the dressing room to change back into her normal clothes. Then she sends a text to her driver.

‘ _ I’m going to be late, I’ll text when I’m done. _ ’ 

She doesn’t wait for a response, and heads over to the Dupain-Cheng bakery. 

It’s time to fix her mistake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I enjoyed writing a chapter that didn't follow Marinette, and I plan to do this again in the future. What did you guys think? Do you like it, or would you prefer that these chapters don't show up very often... Tell me in the comments, as I'd like to see how much I should limit myself!


	9. ...And New Beginnings

Chapter Nine

Marinette is humming along to a random Jagged Stone song as she mends a shirt that’s been needing restitching for a week. The school day had been awkward, with Alya still upset about her end as Rena Rouge, and Marinette having to sit right beside her. But lunch had been nice, spent with Juleka and Rose at her house again. The others in the class seem more aware of Marinette, and how she’s drifted away from most of them.

And that’s perfectly fine. Marinette has no intentions of lying to her classmates or letting them believe nothing has changed. She hopped off of the Agreste High Road and refuses to go back up. 

If that means that she’s lonelier, then that’s fine by her. Because Marinette has never been so on top of things. She’s found a balance between school, Ladybug, and her designing, now that she isn’t running all over to try being there for so many people. Now Marinette has time to do what she wants without interruption. And despite it being Thursday, she’s already looking forward to a weekend of nothing but designing. Perhaps she could start gathering materials for her Fox dress, and-

Her mother’s yell cuts off that train of thought.

“Marinette,” her mother calls, “you have a visitor!”

Marinette wonders who it could be as she walks down the stairs. Perhaps it’s Rose and Juleka, here to talk about Kitty Section. Or maybe it’s one of her classmates, finally coming up to her to admit that they abandoned her. Or it could be Adrien, trying to shame her back into silence, or Alya who wants to complain about how Rena Rouge should still be a heroine.

With these final thoughts in mind, Marinette is pleasantly- and completely- surprised to see Kagami Tsurugi waiting for her in the middle of the living room. 

“Kagami?” Marinette asks. “What are you doing here?”

Kagami clears her throat, and her eyes dart to the floor for a second before returning to meet Marinette’s gaze. “I wanted to talk to you. I’ve learned some things, and have realized I made some inaccurate assumptions.”

Marinette hums, then smiles. “Want to come to my room, then?”

Kagami nods slowly, and Marinette leads the fencer up to her room. When they reach her bedroom, Marinette sits on her desk chair, and Kagami takes the chaise. Marinette watches as Kagami sits, posture remaining perfect as she eyes the rather bare walls, only adorned by a few drawings of Marinette’s designs and a Jagged Stone poster. 

Marinette needs to take new photos, to replace the ones she shoved into a box after Lila’s exposure. 

After a few seconds, Marinette asks, “So, you said you made some assumptions?”

Kagami nods, hopping right into the conversation. “Yes. And I’d like to apologize, because it was cruel of me to assume you could be so cruel.”

Marinette smiles awkwardly. “Well, thank you, but I don’t know what you assumed.”

Here, Kagami looks embarrassed, blushing and looking down again. “I thought that you were playing with Adrien’s feelings, and that you were toying with him to amuse yourself. I thought you were a rather heartless person.”

“Oh.”

“I apologize again, because I was jealous and thought that  _ you _ were Adrien’s crush.”

“Oh.”

“So when you went on the date with us, with that other boy, I assumed you were trying to make Adrien upset.”

“Oh!” Marinette giggles. “No, I was his emotional support. He wanted to date you.”

Kagami nods. “I...have learned that now. But he likes another girl, and that isn’t the concern. The problem is that I misjudged you without giving you a chance, and I am sorry for that.”

Marinette just smiles. “That’s okay, Kagami. I forgive you.”

“You do?” Kagami seems shocked, as if she wasn’t going to ever hear of forgiveness.

“Of course. As soon as you realized you were wrong, you didn’t try to justify it or make up reasonings. Instead, you came to me and admitted your faults, even though I didn’t know you felt that way. That takes courage, and it takes a good person to do that. So, thank you for being honest, and I accept your apology.”

Kagami stares at her for a few seconds, then mutters, “How on Earth did Adrien  _ not _ have a crush on you?”

Marinette blushes, then shrugs. “I don’t know, but I’m glad that he doesn’t. After everything with Lila, he hasn’t been the most...supportive friend.”

At this, Kagami perks up more, her interest piqued. “Will you please tell me about that? Adrien tried to complain about how everyone is mad at him for that, but I don’t have any context.”

Marinette can’t help but feel disappointed in Adrien over that comment, and smiles bitterly. “Of course, but you may want to get comfortable. It’s a bit of a long story.”

Smiling back, Kagami says, “Lay it on me.”

\-----

Kagami seems shocked and angered by the time Marinette finishes. “She  _ threatened  _ you in the bathroom, and at the end of the day Adrien told you to leave  _ her  _ alone?” 

Marinette nods, then shrugs. “That’s the most Adrien really did, honestly. All he wanted was for her to be happy, so that she wouldn’t be Akumatized.”

“But what about you? You were abandoned by your friends in a week, and he didn’t think you’d be upset?”

“I think he blamed me for that. Because I spoke up the first day, that was what happened. He probably thought I deserved it, considering he never asked if I was okay. Or he just didn’t care enough to notice.” Marinette hates the words that come out of her mouth, but she knows that they’re true. 

Kagami huffs. “I don’t know what I ever saw in that boy. Marinette, you are exceptional and your class doesn’t deserve you as their friend.”

Marinette feels justified, and it feels good. “And I’m not their friend anymore. I don’t trust them enough for that.”

“Hasn’t  _ anyone _ tried to make things up with you? Surely they’re not all so blind that they still ignore you?”

“Rose and Juleka have been, and I appreciate them and I want to be close again, but nobody else.”

Kagami scowls. “Well, you need better friends than that class can offer.”

Marinette agrees wholeheartedly, and with a smile, she has a thought.

“You’re absolutely right. So, Kagami, want to be friends?”

Kagami blushes. “What?”

Marinette’s smile widens. “Want to be friends? You and Luka, he’s the boy I brought to the ice rink, are the only people I really talk to out of the class. And he’s my friend, so do you want to be one as well?”

Kagami smiles. “I’d love to be considered your friend.”

So by the end of Thursday, Marinette has made another friend, along with plans to eat lunch together tomorrow.

Things are looking even better for the bluenette.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I drank some loving Kagami and Marinette juice before writing this chapter, and feel great.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and have a wonderful day! <3


	10. Back to the Back

Chapter Ten 

Marinette’s day starts off fairly well. She wakes up ten minutes after her alarm (it looks like her streak of getting up early has ended), pulls on a cute, light pink dress, and talks with Tikki as she does her hair and makeup. Then she runs downstairs, getting a croissant and a kiss on the cheek from her maman, and is out the door, ready to face another day.

When she reaches the school’s steps, she quickly runs into a certain older boy that she likes. Literally runs into him, because her Ladybug Luck can’t help her clumsiness.

Luka’s luck seems to be enough, however, and he catches her with a smile. “Good morning to you, too, Ma-ma-marinette.”

Marinette giggles awkwardly, standing up. “I’m fine, Luka! How are you?” She doesn’t stutter around the boy, and it feels wonderful to get the words out with him. But the blush on her cheeks isn’t going away any time soon.

Luka shrugs. “It’s a Friday, so I’d say pretty good. Better now that you’re here.” He winks, and she’s a giggling mess once more. “So, Jules told me you want to come watch us practice?” 

Marinette beams. “Of course! If you want me to, you don’t have to let me watch if you don’t-”

“I always like having you around,” He says, voice calm and sincere. “You’re wonderful, Marinette.”

“Marinette! Luka!” The two turn to see Rose running up to them with a smile, dragging Juleka behind her. Then she pauses and asks, “Oh, did I interrupt you two?”

Marinette blushes, but shakes her head. “No, we were just talking about if I was coming to see you guys practice.”

“So, are you?” Juleka asks. “It’s still on Saturday afternoon.”

Marinette nods. “Yep! I’ll be there, cheering you guys on.”

Luka chuckles. “Good to see that we have a fan.”

“Come on, let’s go to our lockers before we forget,” Juleka suggests, and the four head to the locker room. 

“So, Marinette, do you want to go to lunch with us?” Rose asks, beaming. “We found this cute little café that just opened up a few weeks ago, and it’s  _ really _ good!”

Marinette wants to accept, but, “Sorry, I’m eating lunch with Kagami today.”

The other three seem interested in that. “Really?” Rose asks. “I didn’t know you guys were friends.” There’s no accusation in the words, no betrayal, it’s just a statement. In fact, Rose seems excited at the idea. “Do you guys hang out often? Ooh! Do you do each other’s hair! You should try putting hers into pigtails, that could look cute.”

Marinette laughs lightly as she opens her locker, the other three doing the same at theirs. “No, we just started talking yesterday. We got off on the wrong foot, but we’re trying again.”

“The wrong foot?” Luka asks. “Was that at the ice rink?”

Marinette nods. “Some assumptions were made that day, but it’s all cleared up now!”

“That’s good. Assumptions suck…” Juleka says, and Marinette shuts her locker before turning to the goth girl.

“Has anyone made any assumptions about you, Jules?”

“That I’m straight.” She says it with, ironically, a straight face, and Marinette giggles. Luka seems amused by his sister’s statement, but nothing prepared them for the next sentence.

“Oh my gosh, same!” Rose’s voice is small yet cheerful as she says it, and Juleka blushes.

“Wait, you’re- wha- but Prince Ali?” Juleka sputters, eyes wide and face reddening more and more by the second. 

Rose nods. “He’s a wonderful friend, but he’s not the one for me.” She smiles, then, and goes, “Come on, let’s go to class!”

“Already getting rid of me?” Luka asks. 

“You aren’t banned from coming in? Miss Bustier wouldn’t kick you out, Luka,” Marinette points out, so Luka heads to the class with them.

When they step into the room, Miss Bustier looks up. “Oh, Luka! I haven’t seen you in here since last year! What brings you to our class today?”

Luka smiles at his old teacher. “Just here to talk with my friends until it’s time for class.”

“Alright, just don’t be late. I know your teacher is rather strict about punctuality, and I wouldn’t want you to get on her bad side.” With that, Miss Bustier returns to whatever she was doing.

“Better hope that you don’t get her, Mari!” Alya says at that, and Marinette tries not to cringe at Alya’s use of the nickname. It feels wrong, hearing it from the journalist. Like she’s not supposed to say it anymore.

Marinette doesn’t say anything, instead heading up to the back where Rose and Juleka sit. She and Luka hop up onto the desk to sit while Rose and Juleka take their normal seats.

Glancing at the class, Marinette remarks in a lowered voice, “I kind of wish I’d stayed back here.”

“Why’s that?” Rose asks. 

“It feels kind of odd, sitting with Alya now. We’re not really friends anymore, you know? It feels like I’m close to her, but I’m just...not.” Marinette slumps on the desk. “Does that make sense?”

Luka nods, leaning closer until their shoulders touch. “That makes perfect sense, Marinette. If you don’t feel comfortable around her, you shouldn’t sit beside her.”

Rose nods, and adds with a smile, “You can sit next to Nathaniel! I’m sure he won’t mind, and then you’re right next to us! Then we can talk easier.”

Marinette likes the idea. She really, really does. Because while the whole class hurt her, the main three were Alya, Nino, and Adrien, who all sit right beside her. She’s tired of waiting for them to apologize, or admit they were wrong, or  _ anything _ . It’s clear by now that her class, for the most part, hasn’t noticed how hurt she is, and she doesn’t want to drag apologies out by forcing them to see how upset she truly is.

That doesn’t mean she’ll sit silently and stew in her loneliness beside her old best friend.

But she can’t make this decision alone. Because she’s not the only one affected by it. So, with any courage she can find, Marinette slips off of the desk and walks the few steps to Nathaniel.

“Nathaniel?” Marinette asks, and the redhead looks up at her.

He looks confused and scared. “What is it, Marinette?” 

She feels silly, doing this, but persists. “Is it alright with you if I sit here?” She points to the seat next to him. “I’d rather sit back here, but if you don’t want anyone next to you, I understand.” She’ll give him the choice she didn’t have.

Luckily, Nathaniel smiles and nods. “Of course. I’m fine with that. You’re welcome back here, Marinette.”

And she feels welcome, nothing but kindness coming from the timid artist. “Thank you.”

She sets her bag on the seat and smiles at the other three. Luka just smiles and gives her a thumbs up, then glances at the clock.

“Shoot, I need to get to class.” He hops off of the desk, the sound of his feet hitting the ground bringing attention to the two. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Of course!” Marinette confirms, and Luka grins.

“Great! I’ll see you then.” Then he’s off, walking out of the class. A few of Marinette’s classmates seem curious about the interaction, but Marinette just heads up to the front.

“Miss Bustier?” Marinette asks. “Is it alright if I sit in the back with Nathaniel? He’s already said it’s okay.”

Miss Bustier seems confused. “That’s fine, but why the sudden change? You seemed upset last time you were put in the back.”

Marinette can’t stop herself from frowning. “Last time, it wasn’t my choice. But I’d rather sit back there now.”

“Well, if you’re sure you’ll be able to pay attention back there, then I see no reason why not. But I do have one last concern.”

“Yes, Miss Bustier?”

“Is this because of Lila?”

Straight on the mark. Marinette sighs, refusing to come up with an excuse. “Yes. Because thanks to Lila, I know how much I actually mean to this class.” She locks eyes with her teacher. “And it isn’t very much.”

Miss Bustier pauses as the bell rings, then says, “Marinette, would you like to step outside of the class for a moment.” It’s not a question. Marinette steps out of the room, and Miss Bustier quickly tells the class to read before doing the same.

“Marinette, what do you mean by that statement?” Her voice is filled with worry, as if she didn’t see the rift in her class.

Maybe she hadn’t. 

Marinette feels a bit of...pity? For her teacher, who it seems knows less and less about the truths of her classroom. “Miss Bustier, all of my classmates left me without a thought for Lila. And for part of it, I can’t blame them. Lila was only telling them what she wanted to hear, after all, and I can’t judge them for wanting to believe in her tall tales. But that doesn’t excuse how quickly they turned on me the  _ second _ Lila burst out in crocodile tears, claiming I could cut Max’s eyes with a napkin.”

Miss Bustier opens her mouth to respond, “Surely, it wasn’t-”

“A napkin, Miss Bustier.”

Her teacher closes her mouth.

“But that’s not even the worst part. I tried to tell Alya and Nino that I knew about the lies, I tried telling them how I knew. And Alya asked me for proof, for sources. She asked me, her best friend, to prove that Lila was lying, yet never questioned anything Lila told her.”

Miss Bustier frowns. “I’m sorry, Marinette.”

“And Adrien knew the whole time. He told me to stay quiet, because she may get Akumatized if we called her out. So, overall, yes, this is because of Lila, and I don’t want to sit right next to the three people I thought I could trust with anything, but I shouldn’t have trusted at all.”

Miss Bustier sighs. “Marinette, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know how bad this all has been. And I should have looked into Lila’s claims, too, and ask for medical records. I should have done better.”

Marinette doesn’t say anything, because her teacher is right. She  _ should _ have done better.

After a few seconds of silence, Miss Bustier says, “I’ll change the seating chart. I’m assuming that you plan to stay back there for the rest of the year?”

“Oui, Miss Bustier. Thank you.” With that, Marinette walks back into class, her teacher following. Her classmates make no attempt to act like they weren’t just talking the whole time, and watch the bluenette as she walks straight past Alya, walking until she’s at her new desk.

As soon as Marinette sits down, Alya turns to Miss Bustier with a frown. “Miss Bustier, why did you send Marinette to the back?”

Miss Bustier looks like she’s having a realization, and slowly says, “I didn’t send her to the back. Marinette chose to sit there. Class, please pull out your tablets, and let’s begin.”

Alya doesn’t stop, doesn’t get the hint. “But why?”

“Alya, that’s something you should ask her for yourself. Later. Class, let’s begin.”

Marinette watches as Alya turns around, eyes filled with confusion and hurt. But then she turns back around, and Marinette feels better.

Halfway through the period, she feels something bump her elbow. She glances to her left, Nathaniel pushes a paper to her, bumping her again. She takes it.

It’s a drawing, the scene depicting Marinette surrounded by the three heroes of Paris: Ladybug, Chat Noir, and even Arctic Fox, who doesn’t look quite as well done as the others, but still really good. The heroes smile down at her, and there’s writing underneath.

‘ _ You really are an everyday Ladybug, and we don’t deserve someone as selfless as you. I have no doubt that they’ll choose you to be a heroine one day, because you have all of the qualities that one would need. I’m sorry that I never noticed how much you were hurting, and I’m sorry for being a part of that. Here’s my late apology, I had to add Arctic Fox since you seem to like him. -Nathaniel _ ’

Marinette blinks, smiling at the drawing. Because someone else noticed, someone else was able to see what went wrong and tried to correct it.

Marinette pulls out a piece of paper and scribbles out a response.

‘ _ Nathaniel, thank you for the apology. I have to admit, it hurt to see everyone leave me so quickly, and I’m not sure how trusting I can be, but I’m happy to sit beside you and I hope we can still be friends. -Marinette _ ’

She bumps his elbow with the paper, and he takes it. From the happy smile Nathaniel gives her, it looks like friendship was all he was searching for.

It’s a good sign.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Nathaniel, he's such a sweetheart who deserves the world, and I thought that they'd be great deskmates! 
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you all next time! Au revoir~


	11. Replacements

Chapter Eleven

Marinette wonders if all dramatics at this school are saved for lunchtime, because that’s when Alya approaches her. The bell rings, Miss Bustier leaves the room, and Alya immediately turns and heads up the stairs.

“Mari,”  _ there’s that name again _ , “we need to talk.”

Marinette sighs, but tries to be positive. ‘ _ Maybe she had a realization, too. Maybe she wants to apologize _ .’ But now isn’t the time, so Marinette just gives Alya a smile as she, too, stands.

“We do need to talk, Alya, but it’ll have to be later. I’m meeting up with Kagami for lunch.”

Alya smiles and grabs Marinette’s arm. “Great, let’s go.” Then she pauses, and Marinette’s words click. “Wait, what?”

Marinette slips her arm out of Alya’s grip. “I’m eating lunch with Kagami. We can talk later.”

“Mari, this is important! You can text  _ Kagami _ and meet later.” Alya looks offended by the idea that the bluenette has other plans, like Alya’s needs come first. And Marinette doesn’t miss how bitterly Alya says the fencer’s name.

Marinette sighs. “No, Alya. I’m not going to cancel on her. Now, if you’ll excuse me, she’s waiting for me and I’d like to go-”

“So you’re just leaving me?” Alya interrupts, eyes narrow. “You’re ignoring me for the Ice Queen?”

“Alya, I already said I will talk to you later, and I don’t appreciate you insulting my friend.” Marinette wants to stay calm, she can feel all of her classmates watching them, just like they always do. They just watch and never act, watch and wait to see what goes down. 

Alya scoffs. “Your friend? Since when?”

“Since yesterday.”

“What? Girl, we’re besties, why didn’t you say anything?” Alya has the nerve to look upset, and Marinette’s fraying patience snaps.

She’s not dealing with this.

“We aren’t besties.” She’s met with gasps, and she feels more attention being put into the conversation. “We haven’t been for nearly two weeks.”

“What? How can you say that?”

“‘ _ My BFF is Ladybug’s BFF! Not clickbait! _ ’ Those were  _ your  _ words, Alya. You chose your side, and even if I could look past you befriending a liar despite me trying to warn you, even if I could ignore how you shoved my feelings aside because you didn’t like them, I’m not going to pretend that I wasn’t replaced. Because I was.” Here, Marinette sniffles, and she looks away from Alya to lock eyes with her classmates, except the few that actually cared.

“I was replaced and forgotten by  _ all of you _ . And when you found out the truth, when you found out that I’d been ostracized and left behind for  _ nothing _ , did you admit that you were part of the problem? Did you look past your own feelings to ask how I was, to ask if I was okay? No. Most of you didn’t, so don’t be shocked that I’m not putting up with it. I know who wants me around, who values me, and I don’t have to pretend that I’m okay when I’m  _ not _ .” She glares at Alya, who is still just staring, gaping at Marinette as if she’d announced that she was Ladybug. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an actual friend waiting for me, and I’d hate to  _ leave her behind _ . I’ll see you guys after lunch.”

Marinette doesn’t look back as she walks out, doesn’t listen to the words that are said when she’s out of the classroom. Instead, she heads to the school’s entrance, where Kagami stands patiently, perfectly poised and content to wait for her new friend.

Marinette smiles awkwardly. “Hey, sorry about the wait. I had to deal with something.”

“Alya?” Kagami asks knowingly, and Marinette nods. “What did she try?” 

Marinette sighs as they walk towards her house. “She wanted me to ditch you so we could talk.”

“She finally wanted to accept her mistake? I doubt that.”

“No, I moved to the back of the class, and she was upset by that.”

Kagami snorts, an odd noise to come from her, but Marinette enjoys it nonetheless. “Of course. It always is about her feelings, isn’t it?”

Marinette sighs again and nods. “Yeah, I guess so. But how was your morning? Anything interesting?”

Kagami shrugs. “My teacher is rather plain. We turn on the tablets, do the readings, answer the questions, and then it’s the next class. There’s not as much chaos as your class seems to have, nor as many Akumas.” 

Marinette cringes at that. “We  _ have  _ had a lot of Akumas from my class, haven’t we?”

“From what I’ve heard, there’s been twenty times that your classmates have been Akumatized, and one of them...was a robot?” Kagami eyes Marinette with a hint of doubt. “I’m not so sure about that one.”

“Nope, that’s completely true. That’s Markov, Max’s robot. He became Robustus.”

Kagami nods slowly. “So we can worry about robots being Akumatized. Good to know.”

Opening the door to the bakery, Marinette giggles. “I think that was a one time thing, to be honest. I’ve yet to hear of any other sentient robots, so I think we’re safe for now.”

“Safe from what?” Marinette’s mother asks as she finishes bagging up a pastry for a hungry customer. 

“Sentient robot Akumas,” Marinette responds. 

“Oh, yes, we’ll be fine. And even if it does happen again, Ladybug and Chat Noir can save the day. And that new Fox is there to help, too, isn’t he?”

Marinette appreciates the fact that her mother is trying to console her, but she’s Ladybug, so any potential Akuma AI uprisings are up to her to stop. 

Kagami, however,  _ isn’t  _ Ladybug, Chat Noir, or Arctic Fox, so she nods along to what Marinette’s mother says. “That is true, although I do wish I could be more helpful to their fight.”

Marinette smiles. “I’m sure that showing your support, and not running into the Akuma’s way, is a good way to be helpful. Come on, let’s go get lunch. Bye, maman!”

“Ah. No wonder I didn’t like Alya. She’s the Ladyblogger, right?” Kagami continues as they head up to the apartment above the bakery. 

“Yeah, she is.”

“She shouldn’t always chase those battles. She gets in the way.”

Kagami has a point. A valid point, which Marinette strongly agrees with. Maybe it’s time that she calls people out for getting in the way of danger, they need to know better than to just rely on Ladybug’s Miraculous Cure. 

“Maybe that’s why Ladybug seems to be paying her less attention,” Marinette says it as if it’s a suggestion, and not her real feelings. It’s always been weird, talking about herself like this.

“That makes sense. She  _ has _ seemed upset with Alya ever since Volpina’s most recent Akumatization. Which...that was only a few days ago, huh.”

Marinette blinks. The past week has felt so rushed, it’s hard to believe that so much has changed in a week. Two weeks, if she includes the week where Lila kicked her to the back and proved how little Marinette meant to her friends. And now here she is, with a new friend, a new team member...and broken bonds with most of her classmates.

Marinette shakes her head slightly, forcing the thoughts out of her head. She’s not here to think of what’s gone wrong, she just wants to have lunch with her friend and relax.

So that’s exactly what the two girls do, talking about Kagami’s fencing and Marinette’s designs. By the end of lunch, Marinette has an idea for an outfit that Kagami might like, and is more than happy to tell Kagami the details as they walk back to school.

“And I want it to be the same red that you have for your fencing outfit! That red looks really good on you, Kagami, and I think the top would look good with it. And how do you feel about skorts?”

“...skorts?”

Marinette nods enthusiastically, not even realizing that her class is half full as she and Kagami walk to the back. “Yeah! They’re a skirt with a pair of shorts connected underneath. So they look cute like a skirt, but you don’t have to worry about tripping and, well,” Marinette shrugs. “You know. But I think it would match your personality!”

“You think my personality is a skort.” Kagami looks amused, as if Marinette’s rambles are entertaining. Which, yeah, Marinette can see the humor.

“Yes! You’re cute and pretty, but you’re always ready for action.” The words come out naturally and passionately.

And Kagami blushes. And Marinette’s brain catches up with her mouth.

For some reason, Marinette feels her cheeks warming up too, and she chuckles nervously. “I um, I mean-”

“Thank you. Do you plan to sketch out the design?” Kagami asks, and Marinette takes the question in stride, hopping right back into her designer mindset.

“Yes!” She pulls out her sketchbook, already flipping to a blank page. “I’ll jot down my plans now, and then tonight I’ll make the full design. If you like it enough, I could make it for you.”

Kagami blinks. “Oh, you don’t have to do that for me.”

“I know, but I’d like to.”

Kagami smiles, and Marinette feels happy. “Well, I’ll look at it tomorrow. I’m sure that I’ll be impressed, though, considering what you showed me today.”

Marinette giggles. “Thank you.” The bell rings, a warning that class is about to start. “Oh, you should go!”

“Of course. I’ll see you, Marinette.” And then she’s gone, leaving Marinette in a class that seems to never stop staring at her now.

Marinette ignores every pair of eyes on her, beginning a rough idea of what she has planned, writing notes until Miss Bustier walks in.

She’ll focus on her classmates later. For now, Marinette will focus on herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3


	12. Forgiviness and Trust

Chapter Twelve

By the time the bell rings to signal the end of the day, Marinette is practically bouncing in excitement. She feels motivated, and plans to get through all of her homework tonight before having a wonderful weekend. Sure, she’ll have classes on Saturday morning, but after that she’ll be able to spend time with her Kitty Section friends. It’ll be nice to sit back, relax, and listen to them as they practice. Maybe she’ll even get some inspiration for designs, although she’ll have to wait to start on them.

Kagami’s design is still drifting in Marinette’s thoughts, and she knows that she’ll spend hours on the outfit tonight, sketching it out and coming up with all of the little details. 

She’s excited, clearly, but who can blame her? A weekend to do what she loves, it’s a good chance to relax.

(She ignores the fact that she needs to go to Fu soon, and will have to retell these past two weeks to someone else.)

So when the bell rings, Marinette is quick to slip all of her stuff into her backpack, zip it up, and hop out of her seat.

“Bye, Nathaniel!” She says, and he smiles at her before she walks away.

Rose and Juleka catch up to her in the locker room, and they smile at her in greeting.

“Mari!” Rose cheers. “I can’t wait for practice!”

Juleka chuckles. “Luka was talking about it for half of lunch.”

Marinette laughs. “I can’t wait, either. I’ll see you guys tomorrow!”

The two girls say goodbye, and Marinette steps out of the locker room, feeling happy. It looks like the day will end on a good note.

“Mari, we need to talk.” Oh, guess not. And Marinette had been hopeful.

Sighing, Marinette turns to face the ombre haired girl. “Alright. What do you want to talk about, Alya?” 

Alya huffs. “Can’t we talk somewhere else?”

Marinette can’t stop the snort from coming out. “Sure, sure. We can go somewhere private, where you can deny any threats like Lila tried.”

Alya’s eyes widen. “Girl, that’s uncalled for. I am  _ nothing _ like Lila.”

And the bluenette can admit that it was a harsh thing to say, but does she trust Alya? Not like she used to. 

Marinette sighs. “Listen, I don’t have the best track record of people trying to confront me in private. But our classroom should be empty by now, so let’s just go there.”

The walk is silent. Marinette toys with her phone. The idea of recording Alya’s words pops into her head, because what if Alya tries to do what Lila has? Would the others leave Marinette for Alya, then? They seem to like moving on to the new girl, whenever they’re more interesting.

No, no they wouldn’t leave Marinette for Alya. Because they’re still not back to Marinette in the first place.

Marinette pockets her phone, deciding that it doesn’t matter anymore. She’s not doing this to keep her class’s good side, she’s doing this for herself. 

The comforting press of Tikki’s paw on her leg is a calming one, even if it’s not very noticeable due to her purse. 

The class is deserted by the time the two girls get in there. Alya walks over to the window, Marinette trails a few steps behind. 

It’s silent, almost painfully so. Marinette wonders if Alya expects an apology for lunch. 

It’s not in her nature to lie, so she won’t pretend to feel bad about it. 

So they stand in the empty, quiet classroom for nearly a minute, just watching each other.

Alya cracks first, and so does her expression. Any anger turns to sorrow as she asks, “Mari, why are you acting like this?”

“What do you mean?” Marinette asks in response.

“You’re ignoring all of us. You’re acting like we don’t exist, and I don’t get why.”

“I’m not ignoring everyone. Juleka, Rose, Nathaniel and I talk.”

Alya frowns. “Yeah, but you ditched me! You ditched me, you ditched Nino...Mari, you’re ditching  _ Adrien _ ! Your sunshine boy has been so upset that you left him like this, and he kept asking if you were okay at lunch.”

“Oh, so you guys stopped blaming him for Lila?” Marinette asks, quirking an eyebrow. 

Alya sputters. “We didn’t-”

“When I admitted that Lila threatened me, and that Adrien had told me to take the high road, you and Nino blamed him for everything. Most of the class blamed each other for everything.” Marinette shakes her head. “You were so busy blaming each other, you didn’t realize that you were part of the problem.”

“Me? How was  _ I  _ the problem?” Alya glares at Marinette, but Marinette doesn’t even flinch.

She’s faced a t-rex, it’ll take more than a glare from a teenage girl to scare her now.

“Want the whole list? Alright, to start, you actively encouraged Lila by being part of her crowd. You took another step by interviewing her, multiple times I should add, which just egged her on to lie even  _ more _ .”

“You can’t blame me for that! I didn’t know she was lying!”

“And I could forgive that with most of the class. But not with you, Alya. Because I warned you. I warned you and Nino, and what did you do? You brushed it off as jealousy, and you asked for proof. I  _ gave _ you proof, Alya. I admitted my mistake, admitted that, yes, I had followed Adrien because I was jealous. But seeing  _ Ladybug herself _ come yell at Lila? That’s definitely enough for me to know she was lying. So I told you, point blank, that Lila was a liar, and you instead focused on my flaws in the scenario.”

Alya sputters. “Okay, so maybe I was wrong, but can you  _ blame _ me? Girl, you’ve always been crazy jealous over Adrien! I thought you were just making things up to make me dislike her.”

Marinette feels hurt, feels as if Alya really hasn’t been a friend for much, much longer than two weeks. 

“You...you thought I would lie to you out of jealousy? Do you think that little of me, Alya?” Marinette can see some regret on Alya’s face, but she persists. “And do you really think I would be as cruel as Lila made me look over a boy? Do you not remember Kagami? Did you magically forget how Adrien asked me to help him so he could ask her on a date? Did you forget how I pushed my own feelings aside because if Kagami made him happy, who was I to get in the way? Or does it not matter because it doesn’t prove your point?”

Alya cringes. “Listen, Marinette, I’m sorry.”

“Are you?” The words slip out, and all of the doubt and disbelief is clear.

Alya nods, and her eyes lose their fire. “I am, I really am. I should’ve listened to you, I shouldn’t have pinned it on jealousy. I’ve messed up a lot, and I’m sorry.”

Marinette believes her, but she sighs. “Thank you, Alya, but this doesn’t change much.”

“What do you mean?!”

“An apology doesn’t change everything. Or much at all, actually.”

“But I said I’m sorry!”

“I know, and I thanked you. But forgiveness and trust are two different things. I can forgive you, but I certainly don’t trust you. Not yet.”

Alya sniffs, eyes wet. “How...how long will it take?” 

Marinette smiles, it feels bittersweet. “How long were we friends?”

“No….”

“Alya, I like to trust everyone, and I’ve always given second chances. But this hurt. And it feels like I’ve lost everything I knew in a week, and I’ve learned things I never would have known otherwise. I’ve learned that a lot of my class doesn’t care about me like I cared for them, and I can’t force myself back into friendships like that without change. But that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to try and build a new friendship with you. It just won’t be like what we used to have.”

At this, Alya’s eyes narrow again, and Marinette feels sadness course through her. Because for a moment, she thought that she could get through to Alya. For a moment, she thought things could be saved.

So when Alya hisses, “So you’re replacing me for one mistake,” her hopes and high expectations come crashing down, weighing on her shoulders.

“No, this isn’t about replacement-”

“Really? Because with Kagami swooping in as soon as you leave me, I’m not so sure. Is she helping  _ you _ with Adrien now? Because she likes him too, so that won’t work. You’ll just fight with her over him, and then she’ll leave you. Mari, you’re being ridiculous. Come on, let’s go talk to Adrien, you’re not being yourse-”

“Finish that sentence, and I’m walking away without ever coming back to being an  _ acquaintance  _ of yours,” Marinette cuts Alya off, hurt and anger leaving her seeing red.

“What?! You know I’m right, girl. Come on, I know it’s been a bad few weeks, but I’m here now. I can fix this.”

“No. Alya, Kagami isn’t my ‘new best friend,’ she’s my new friend. She’s not just a replacement for you, she’s her own person. And we’re not going to fight over Adrien.”

“Really? And why not? Are you really giving him up so you can stay friends with the Ice Queen?”

“No, it’s because  _ neither  _ of us like him anymore.”

Alya stills, going silent. Then, slowly, she asks, “What do you mean, you don’t like him anymore?”

“I mean exactly that. Watching him say he’s on my side, but do nothing to support me, that hurt. Realizing that he put a liar’s feelings above mine, her hurt above mine, that  _ hurt _ . And I decided that a guy who will routinely put me in the wrong, who will ignore my side even when I’m not the one at fault, that isn’t the guy I want. So I moved on.”

“And you didn’t even tell me?” Alya asks, and Marinette can’t tell if Alya is more upset or enraged at this point.

“No. Because if you wouldn’t listen to me about Lila, you wouldn’t listen to me about Adrien. You would have assumed it was an excuse, so you can’t pin my anger on jealousy. So why  _ would _ I tell you, Alya?”

“Because I’m your friend.” But the protest is weak, and Marinette just shakes her head.

“Not anymore, Alya. Not anymore.”

Then Marinette walks out of the classroom, holding her head high and her tears back. 

She doesn’t look back, and doesn’t want to. Instead, she goes home, where she’ll spend the night doing homework, designing, and pretending their talk never happened.

It’s better this way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you have a speech due soon and you're writing fanfiction instead. #justwriterthings
> 
> Aka I'm going to go panic now, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter!!


	13. Perspective

Chapter Thirteen

_ Alya _

Alya doesn’t know where everything went wrong. She doesn’t know when the story flipped, when the words and the world came crashing down around her. She doesn’t know why everything has turned against her, why she’s suddenly been flipped from a heroine of Paris to some villain in everyone’s eyes. She doesn’t know-

No, she knows. Alya fully knows how all of this happened.

It’s all because of Lila. It’s Lila’s fault that Marinette is so upset, so confused right now. It’s Lila’s fault that Marinette got jealous, that she got stuck up on the fact that Lila lied. It’s Lila’s fault for tricking her, for telling her all of those lies and  _ suggesting that she put it onto the Ladyblog _ -

Alya scowls at the ground as she walks home alone, realizing just how much Lila has ruined her life.

Because not only did Lila cause a rift between Alya and Marinette, her bestie for  _ life _ , thank you very much, she managed to break apart Alya’s partnership with Ladybug. She hadn’t even known about Alya being Rena Rouge, and had still managed to ruin that part of her life with that lying tongue of hers, tricking Alya into posting those videos, tricking Alya into putting up false claims and losing Ladybug’s trust.

Alya wipes tears off of her face, bitterness and grief tearing through her, pulling her apart. 

It’s all Lila’s fault. If it wasn’t for Lila, Alya would be happy right now, she’s sure of it. But instead she’s alone, and she’s hurting, because Marinette thinks Alya isn’t there for her.

But surely Marinette is wrong. Because while Alya wasn’t there this time, that’s only because she was deceived! If she had  _ seen  _ Ladybug herself, she would never have trusted that liar! If she had seen Ladybug yelling at Lila, she would’ve called the girl out in public, would’ve let everyone see the true nature of Lila Rossi. 

None of this ever would have happened.

But...but Alya didn’t see it. Marinette and Adrien had. 

Alya can’t help but feel upset with the two. But most of her anger is pointed at Adrien. Because she knows her bestie is hurting, too, and now she’s trying to push everything away. The poor girl is so upset, so sad that her friends were hurt, that she’s trying to pretend that she’s done with them. She’s trying to pretend that their pain doesn’t matter.

Alya wonders how Marinette can be so selfless, so caring and compassionate, but it makes her proud to be her closest friend.

And knowing this, because how could Alya  _ not  _ read her best friend at this point, Alya can’t feel the same anger that she holds towards the class’s resident sunshine child. Because Marinette did try, and now Marinette is just trying to cope with the sight of her friend’s being hurt by acting like she’s done with them. Adrien, on the other hand?

Adrien tried to act like Lila was honest. He tried to act like everything was okay, and that Marinette could put up with Lila’s actions without any harm coming from it. He let her be threatened and told her to take the high road.

Alya feels the need to talk with Marinette about her crush. Because while Marinette claims that she moved on, Alya knows better. At first, she’d almost believed it, but Marinette has  _ never _ been able to move on. Because Marinette would have told her. Marinette would tell Alya something that big, that life changing. 

But she didn’t. Not until today, and Alya doubts that that was honest. That was Marinette trying to cope, trying to pretend that she was fine with watching the problems in her life, and Alya can ignore it.

But she can’t ignore how awful Adrien clearly is for Marinette. Marinette needs someone who will take action, someone who will defend her so that she isn’t alone.

Maybe Chat Noir? Alya has seen the cat themed hero saving Marinette from an Akuma a few times, maybe they’ve talked by now. He’d be good for her, if he could move on from Ladybug…

“Ugh!” Alya grunts, slamming open the door to the apartment building. Her anger rebuilds as she gets back into her line of thought, angry at Lila, angry at Adrien, and annoyed with Marinette’s coping method.

She’s still bitter about the fact that Marinette moved to  _ Kagami _ to seek friendship. It’s better that it’ll only be temporary, because how could it  _ not  _ be, but still. 

Alya unlocks the apartment door, and is greeted by silence. A note is left on the table from Nora, she’s taken their little sisters to the park for a bit. Her parents are at work. Food is in the fridge.

Alya huffs and marches to her room, her angry stomps echoing her frustration.

She knows it’s nonsensical, but it feels like even her family is leaving her behind. She feels like she’s all alone, like everything has been broken.

As soon as Alya spots a framed picture of her, Marinette, Nino, and Adrien, she begins to sob. Everything is so wrong, so messed up, and she just wants to  _ fix  _ it.

Clutching the photo to her chest, Alya doesn’t see the black butterfly that melds into the frame.

“ _ Fixateur _ ,” His voice is smooth, collected, just like the last time Alya heard it. “I am Hawkmoth. Your world has been shattered, and is in broken pieces, but I can give you the power to put it all back together. I offer you the ability to change what has gone wrong, and in return, you will give me Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculi.”

Alya thinks of Marinette, of how strong her best friend is.

‘ _ Marinette would fight him off, _ ’ she thinks, ‘ _ she already has before. _ ’

But she’s not Marinette, and Marinette is claiming that they aren’t friends anymore. And Alya so desperately wants to mend their friendship.

So instead of resisting, Alya accepts his offer. She’s quickly covered in magic, and when she opens her eyes, her mind is clear, a goal set. 

“I suppose it’s time I fix what’s gone wrong, isn’t it?” She muses to herself. Holding up the now translucent photo, Alya smirks and mutters, “And I know just where to start.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alya, honey, I have this feeling that your view is a tad different than Marinette's...


	14. A Devoted Best Friend

Chapter Fourteen

Marinette is in the middle of her physics homework when, suddenly, Tikki gasps, dropping her beloved cookie.

“What’s wrong, Tikki?” Marinette asks, setting down her pencil as she looks to her Kwami. But Tikki is just staring out of the window, her big eyes even wider than normal. Marinette glances out of the window.

And sees...Alya?

“Huh, what’s she doing outside?” Marinette mutters to herself, but Tikki shakes her head frantically. 

“Marinette, that’s not Alya! I can sense it!”

“Sense what?” Marinette peers down at the ombre haired journalist, who seems to be heading closer to the bakery.

“She’s been Akumatized.” Tikki quickly looks away from the window, looking up at Marinette. “You need to transform!”

Marinette nods, standing up. “You’re right! Tikki, spo-”

She hears a crash, and a scream. Marinette recognizes her mother, and wonders what Alya did.

She’s afraid to check, but before she can think she’s reaching for the door of her room. It opens before she touches the handle.

Alya knocks the door open and pulls herself up, smiling. “Hi, Mari!” She stands up, something clutched in her hand as she dusts herself off with the other. “You’re just the girl I wanted to see.”

Marinette gulps. “What did you...What did you do to my parents? I heard the scream, Alya.”

Alya giggles. “Nothing, girl. You’re so paranoid, silly. I just spooked them, but after a minute they were  _ fine _ with me coming up here. They know we’re besties, after all.”

Marinette freezes, unsure if she should believe Alya. Because while she hasn’t had Alya over in the past two weeks...she also hasn’t told her parents about everything that’s happened.

Deciding to be cautious, Marinette asks, “Okay...so why are you here? I thought you went home, Alya.”

Alya nods. “I did. But girl, I realized that things have gone too far. We need to fix this, you know?” She smiles and continues without waiting for an answer. “So I decided to come here and fix everything  _ myself _ . Because this is terrible, and we shouldn’t be fighting. I’m just sorry I let you act like this for so long.”

“What do you mean, Alya?” Marinette asks, feeling nerves fill up her stomach.

Alya holds up the thing in her free hand. It’s a photo frame, and for a moment, Marinette thinks that it’s empty. But then she sees a glimmer in the light, and can see an outline of a picture. She recognizes it, and feels her fears grow as she stares at the Akuma. 

“You’ve been so hurt that you’re trying to hide it. I know how compassionate you are, how loving you can be, and I realized the truth: There’s no  _ way _ you could have moved on from Adrien, and there’s definitely no way we’ll ever stop being besties! You’re just scared, but I’ll take away that fear.” Then, as if bestowing a gift, Alya says, “Marinette Dupain-Cheng, you will stop pretending to be upset with the class. You will stop pretending that you aren’t in love with Adrien Agreste. And, most importantly, you will stop pretending that we aren’t friends.”

Marinette sees a flash of light, as if a photo is being taken, and then feels funny. As if she’s supposed to change, and follow Alya’s orders.

But Alya’s orders weren’t anything Marinette has disobeyed. Because Marinette Dupain-Cheng  _ hasn’t _ been pretending. Alya doesn’t know that, though, and suddenly Marinette has an idea.

Blinking, Marinette stares at herself, as if in shock. “I feel...better,” Marinette mutters, trying to seem surprised. Then she looks up at Alya and smiles. “Alya! My bestie!” She throws herself into a hug, and feels the Akuma hug back. 

“I knew you’d come around. Now, come on, I have to fix everything. I wouldn’t be your bestie if I wasn’t also a good wingwoman.” Alya drags Marinette to her floor’s door. “Now, I have a few things to say about your choice in guys. To start-”

Marinette cuts her off. “Oh, Alya, I’ve been so terrible!”

Alya smiles. “It’s okay, I forgive you.”

“No! I need to make things up! I’ll make you a gift!” She smiles and darts to her closet, pulling out different fabrics. “It’ll take a while, but it’ll be wonderful.”

She can hear the happiness in the Akuma’s voice. “You’re so sweet, Mari. I’ll leave you to that, and while you’re busy, I’m going to find you the perfect guy. I already have some ideas.”

“I’ll see you soon, Alya!” Marinette says cheerfully. She waits for Alya to leave, then glances out the window to watch the girl walk away, off in pursuit of...someone.

Marinette lets out a relieved sigh and turns to her bedroom. “Tikki?” She calls out.

Tikki flies out from under her bed. “Oh, Marinette! I was worried that you’d be trapped under her spell!” She nuzzles the girl’s forehead, and Marinette giggles.

“I was, too, but it seems that she didn’t have the facts straight. Now come on, we need to get her object before she messes with anymore people. Tikki, spots on!”

A pink flash of light shines throughout her room, and then Ladybug is hopping off of her balcony, swinging through Paris and searching for Alya.

She finds her quickly, because she’s shouting at two people. Adrien and Kagami, who had walked out of fencing practice. 

Ladybug didn’t even realize they  _ had _ fencing today. She hasn’t known Adrien’s schedule since she got rid of the hanging schedule on her wall- she’d realized just how stalkerish it was when she’d bemoaned how her crushing had been for naught, slowly connecting the dots on how  _ weird _ she’d been around the blond- a few days after Lila showed up. 

As a result, she’s left blindsided by the sight of her past crush and her new friend being in Alya’s war path, and her train of thought is on the wrong tracks long enough for Alya to whip her photo into place, aiming it straight at Adrien.

“Adrien Agreste!” Alya shouts, and Adrien flinches, backing away. Both he and Kagami seem to have realized that something is seriously,  _ seriously _ wrong with her. “You will love Marinette Dupain-Cheng and protect her from liars. You will be honest and assertive, keeping your friends safe and happy.” 

There’s a flash. And when it’s gone, Adrien looks determined. He looks at the bakery, and sighs with a lovestruck smile. 

“I think I should go check on Mari,” Adrien says, voice sweet and light. “She’s been upset, and I’d hate to see her so down. She really is the kindest person I’ve ever met, and she deserves the world.”

“You do that, sunshine child,” Alya responds with a smile, then turns to Kagami as Adrien walks away. “And you-”

“What  _ are  _ you?” Kagami interrupts. “You’re twisting people’s minds to fit your narrative, do you really think you’re in the right?”

Alya huffs, and Ladybug sneaks closer, eyes on the photo. Perhaps she can snatch it right out of Alya’s hand with her yoyo…

“I’ll have you know that I  _ am _ ! Marinette is done with you, now, Kagami, and I have my best friend back.”

“Then why are you an Akuma?” Kagami looks unfazed, and Ladybug holds back a snort as she hops closer, landing on a nearby roof. “If everything was so perfect, you wouldn’t be...whoever you are.” 

“ _ You  _ can call me Fixateur. And I’m going to fix all of the mistakes that Lila caused. But since she’s no longer in Paris, or France for that matter, I can’t fix her. I  _ can _ , however, change everything else that’s gone wrong since that lying witch came into my life.”

“And what do I have to do with that?” 

For a second, Ladybug wonders if Kagami just  _ really _ likes pissing off Akumas, but then the Asian girl’s eyes dart to hers for a split second. And Ladybug gets the message- Kagami knows  _ exactly _ what they’re doing, even without words.

Ladybug pulls out her yoyo, swinging it silently. She has to get the throw perfectly right. Something as small and thin as that photo, even in its frame, will be difficult to get like this. 

Luckily, Fixateur likes to talk. “Well, you were my ‘replacement.’ But now that Mari is back with me, like she should be, you’re unnecessary. But I know how great my girl is, so I’m not leaving you to try and steal her away. So, Kagami Tsurugi, you will no longer want to be friends with Marine-”

Ladybug throws the yoyo. Fixateur sees it at the last second and turns her arm, instead getting hit in the side and knocked over. 

Fixateur hops up and glares at Ladybug. “Ah, so there you are! That was fast! How did you even know about me?”

So her curiosity shines through. Good to know. Ladybug scoffs.

“A ‘good friend’ of yours told me that you were Akumatized. A certain Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” Ladybug responds. 

“No! She wouldn’t. She’s my friend again, she can’t-” She narrows her eyes at Ladybug. “What have you done?”

“Nothing. But your dear friend must be worried for you, left all alone.” Ladybug swings her yoyo. “Perhaps she’ll be calmer once you’re no longer  _ Fixateur _ .”

Fixateur scoffs. “Over my dead b-”

“Alya!” Adrien calls out, sprinting over to the Akuma. With heartbroken eyes, he says, “My pr- Mari isn’t in her room!”

Fixateur immediately forgets about Kagami and Ladybug, looking at her photo, then the blond. “She- she isn’t?”

“No! She must have run off somewhere! Where is she? We need to protect her!”

“She might be at the park! Come on!” The two run off, leaving Ladybug and Kagami behind. 

“Huh. Looks like she has one real focus,” Ladybug states.

Kagami nods, eyes filled with concern. “I should go look for Marinette, she must be worried. After all, she’s being hunted down by an Akuma that wants to control her. I need to keep her safe from them.”

Ladybug nods, unable to come up with an excuse for Marinette easily. “Just watch out for yourself as well, Kagami. If Fixateur makes you upset with Marinette, that could hurt her as well.”

The idea seems to pain Kagami, who glares at Fixateur’s disappearing figure. “I won’t let that happen. Trust me.”

“I do.” Then Ladybug swings off, heading for Fu. 

It looks like she needs to bait an Akuma again. With Fixateur’s primary concern being Marinette, it seems that an illusion is a must.

Ladybug is in and out of Fu’s house in three minutes, with a necklace in hand and a Fox to find.

It’s time for a Fox fight.


	15. Fox Fight

Chapter Fifteen

_ Luka _

As soon as Ladybug hops onto his home, the Liberty, Luka finds himself standing up and heading over to Paris’s beloved heroine.

“Ladybug,” Luka greets, “another Akuma?”

Ladybug nods, lips pursed in annoyance and song growing louder as she glares off in another direction, likely where the Akuma is. “Yes. This one is called Fixateur, and I need your help to distract her.”

“Hawkmoth seems to be having fun, with all of these Akumas,” Luka mutters, taking the Fox necklace from Ladybug’s hand.

“There’s a lot of negativity in your sister’s class right now, and Hawkmoth isn’t blind to all of that,” Ladybug responds.

He thinks of Marinette, then, and her song being dampened by her classmates. He doesn’t like it, but now he can do something about it.

“Trixx, let’s pounce,” Luka says quickly. A flash of orange covers him, fills his ears with an odd, transformative melody, then he’s ready to fight. “Who’s the target?”

They hop up onto the rooftops, and Ladybug sighs. “The target is Marinette this time. Fixateur wants to make Marinette become her friend, and is changing her classmates’ personalities in order to fit the narrative that she wants.”

Arctic Fox finds himself taking a deep breath, trying to push out the pounding drums in  his ears. “Why is that?”

“I’m not quite sure, to be honest. All I know is that Fixateur had tried to control Marinette- she does that with her picture frame, by the way, so if she aims that at you, run- but failed due to faulty word choice. By the time I found the Akuma, she had Adrien Agreste under her control.”

“Why him? Why Mari?” If he knew who Fixateur was…

Ladybug’s suddenly sheepish expression tells Luka that she’s just realized he doesn’t know Fixateur’s identity. “Well, Fixateur is the Ladyblogger, Alya. She looks exactly the same, by the way. She wanted Marinette to be her best friend again, and she wanted Adrien to love Marinette and protect his friends. She almost got Kagami to hate Marinette, so that she wouldn’t be in Alya’s way, but that’s when I intervened.”

“So why is Fixateur on the loose?” Arctic peers down at the streets below, looking for Fixateur. 

“She got distracted and ran off. After Marinette told me about the Akuma, I advised her to hide somewhere unexpected. Right now, Adrien and Fixateur are on a wild goose chase for the poor girl.”

Arctic scowls, leaping to another roof. “And you’re  _ sure _ they won’t find her?”

Ladybug smirks, and her notes hit a new tempo, a steadier one. “Trust me on this, Arctic.”

And he does, so he follows her in their search.

It takes ten more minutes for Chat Noir to show up, and when he does, Arctic feels like something is different. Arctic isn’t quite sure why, but everything about the Cat seems more rushed, the notes coming in frantically as the hero searches for the Akuma. 

Yet, at the same time, they’re lighter than ever. His jumps are more confident, his movements have a spring to them, and he looks excited.

But the real difference is that, when he greets the two, Chat simply goes, “Hey, guys. Where’s the Akuma? I heard they’re targeting my princess.” And with those last two words, his tail lashes out, and he scans the ground for danger.

Arctic doesn’t miss how Ladybug’s melody scratches, missing three beats before returning. He sees the confusion in her eyes, along with the immediate dismissal. 

“Not sure. Fixateur should be nearby, she seems to be moving by foot. She’s currently searching with Adrien for Marinette.”

Chat coughs. “Actually, I already got Adrien out of the way.”

Arctic speaks up. “Wasn’t he controlled into loving Marinette? How did you convince him to go away?”

Chat snorts. “It was easy. Adrien trusts me to take care of princess. I  _ am _ her knight, after all.”

This feels off, like someone started playing the wrong song. One glance at Ladybug, and Arctic knows that he’s not the only one who sees it.

There’s no time to ponder it, because then Ladybug looks down and spots Fixateur. “There she is,” Ladybug whispers, and Chat immediately jumps down to battle. “Wait Chat!”

But he’s already on the ground, and Fixateur locks eyes with him. 

Chat smirks at the Akuma. “So, I heard that you’re looking for trouble?”

Fixateur frowns. “No, I’m looking for Mari-” she cuts herself off, grinning at the hero. “Actually, you’re right on time!” She whips out the picture frame, and starts to speak. “Chat Noir, I command you to love Mari-”

She’s cut off by Ladybug swinging down and kicking her, knocking her to the ground. Arctic hides on the roof, trying to come up with a plan for his Mirage. But then he hears a scream.

And it’s not a hero’s, or Fixateur’s. No, it’s a random civilian, who is staring up at him with wide eyes and a huge grin, cheering his name.

Arctic growls when Fixateur’s eyes lock onto him, and she scowls. He leaps down to join the battle, now that his cover has been blown. 

Ladybug frowns at the fangirl, who is currently making her way over. “Miss, you need to go-”

“You brought  _ him _ into our fight?” Fixateur spits out, lunging at Ladybug. 

Arctic blinks, eyes back on the Akuma as Ladybug jumps backwards. In the corner of his eye, he sees the fan running off, now aware that Fixateur isn’t some normal girl. Good.

“We wanted some backup,” Ladybug responds calmly, as if dodging punches is her normal afternoon hobby. 

To be fair, it kind of is.

“So you got  _ him _ ? Why not me? It should be me!” Fixateur’s eyes light up, and she grabs her picture frame again. Arctic immediately jumps to the side, grabbing Ladybug to move her out of the way. But Fixateur doesn’t aim for Ladybug.

Instead, Fixateur flips the frame around, and faces it at herself. “I command myself to be Rena Rouge!” She cries out, and a bright light shoots at the girl. When it’s gone, Arctic is looking at the previous Fox heroine.

He can see why Ladybug wanted a new Fox, if her old Fox was so untrustworthy. He’s heard everything about the class by now. It’s no wonder that she’s been taken out of commission, and wasn’t supposed to return.

But here he is, toe to toe with another Fox, one who looks proud and self-justified, as if everything is alright because she said so. One who seems to think that she can control her narrative, and make everything how she wants it to be.

One who thinks that she’s  _ actually  _ Rena Rouge again.

Flute in hand, Fixateur lunges at Arctic with a smirk. “You’re done for, Arctic!” Fixateur shouts. “Because no matter what, you’ll  _ never _ be as great of a Fox as I! Not when I get my Miraculous back from you!”

Arctic just weaves around the punches and kicks that are thrown at him, blocking her flute with his own. “You say that like you’re still a Fox.”

Fixateur growls and kicks at his chest, Arctic bats her foot away with his flute. “I am a Fox! I’m Rena Rouge.”

“Really? Because all I see is Fixateur.” He smirks, and Fixateur only becomes angrier. She screams and throws her flute at his head, he catches it. 

Realizing that she’s without her musical weapon, Fixateur pulls her picture frame out again, holding it up. “Arctic Fox, I command you to-”

“That’s enough, thank you very much.” Ladybug’s yoyo flies into the way, hitting Fixateur’s object right out of her hands. Before Fixateur can go after it, Chat Noir is already crushing it under his foot, cracking the glass. A small, black butterfly flies out.

Ladybug wastes no time, catching it quickly. In moments, any damage is reversed, and Alya is sitting on the floor, clutching a photo of herself, Marinette, and two of their classmates. 

Alya looks up, and her confusion gives way to shock as she finds herself face to face with the heroes. “Wh-what?” She gets out, eyes wide.

“You were Akumatized,” Chat says, and his mouth is pulled into the expression one would wear after having licked a lemon. Arctic notices that Chat’s tempo has returned to normal, but a hint of bitterness sours the notes, like an...offkey kazoo.

“I was?” Alya seems upset by this, but then she scowls. “Of course I was. Stupid Hawkmoth, trying to make me look like the villain.”

“Are you alright?” Arctic asks, and is greeted with a glare. 

“Piss off, you fake Fox,” Alya says. 

Arctic blinks, looking to Ladybug for advice. Ladybug is fuming, scowling at Alya.

“Alya, I’d advise you to refrain from insulting my  _ teammate _ .” 

Alya frowns at the bug-themed heroine. “So  _ now _ you care about your teammates? What about me?”

“You know that wasn’t a lack of care. Alya, you-”

“Made one mistake! And now everyone treats me like the villain! You left me, Marinette is afraid to care about us because she’s so compassionate, and my friends are all against each other because of Lila! And through it all, I’m the one getting blamed! It’s not my fault that she lied to me! It’s not my fault that Marinette wasn’t believed. It’s not my fault that she liked Adrien Agreste, the boy who’s afraid to stand up for anyone but bullies! I just wanted to fix everything, I just wanted life to go back to how it used to be. I just, I just.” Alya starts to sob, and Arctic can’t help but pity the girl. 

Because she’s hurting, and it’s sad to see someone else hurt. And yet, Alya can’t think past herself, can’t see how much she’s to blame for all of this, just like the rest of Marinette’s class. 

She thinks that she’s the real victim here, when she isn’t.

But she can learn, can’t she?

The thought is why Arctic Fox kneels down, smiling softly at Alya. “Listen, things can’t go back to the past. We don’t get second chances in life, we don’t have the opportunity to live in the ‘used to be’s’ of life. But we can learn from the past, and from our mistakes, and see the world differently thanks to what we learn. We can create a better now, and a better future, if we’re willing to see what we did wrong and work to be greater. So maybe it’s time to let go of the past, and see what can happen now.”

From Ladybug’s smile, Arctic knows that he did well. But Alya shrugs him off, glaring at him coldly and stepping away, tempo going erratic. 

“I don’t want advice from a fake Fox like you. And I can fix everything, because I’m not to blame. I’ll get my past back, and you better watch out, because when I do you won’t be the Fox anymore.” With one last glare, Alya turns and runs off.

Arctic blinks. “Should I be worried?”

Ladybug looks too exhausted to think about fear. “Probably not. I don’t think she’ll be any threat to your position. Come on, let’s get you detransformed. Bye, Chat.”

Chat just nods, too caught up in his own thoughts. His eyes seem far away, Arctic notes, but he doesn’t ask why.

A few minutes later, he’s back home, sitting in his room in the exact same spot. It’s like he never left, and nothing ever happened.

Luka texts Marinette, then begins to practice on his guitar.

He wants to be perfect for tomorrow’s rehearsal. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Piss off, you fake fox," was the whole reason I wanted to write this chapter. (along with Chat's offkey kazoo tempo)


	16. Only My Friends Call Me Mari

Chapter Sixteen 

Marinette doesn’t know how, but she manages to get through Saturday morning without any problems. Alya doesn’t try to talk to her, in fact  _ none _ of her classmates do, except for the three in the back. Classes go by slowly, but they’re peaceful and productive. It seems that Hawkmoth is taking it easy for the day, or is busy with his civilian life.

Marinette will take all of the blessings she can get. There won’t be any complaining from her, that’s for sure. 

As soon as the bell rings, Marinette is out of her seat. She packs her bag as quickly as possible, and is soon joined by Juleka and Rose. Together, they walk down the steps, Ivan following behind seconds later. When Marinette glances back at the boy, he sends her a small, apologetic smile. Marinette smiles back, and his grows. 

Sometimes, apologies don’t require words. And for the gentle giant, Marinette feels that this is enough. 

Luka is waiting in the locker room when they all arrive, and he lights up as soon as Marinette opens the door.

“You guys ready?” He asks, smile wide. 

“Yeah! I can’t wait to try out our newest song! It’s so cute,” Rose squeals, and Marinette can’t help but giggle.

“I can’t wait to hear it, Rose,” Marinette says, and Rose beams.

“It’ll be great!” Rose jumps as Ivan shuts his locker, accidentally slamming it, then immediately reverts back to her bubbly nature. “Come on! Are you ready, Marinette?”

“Yep!” Marinette closes her locker, and is quickly dragged out of the room by an excited Rose, who tows both her and Juleka behind her. Luka and Ivan keep up, and they all talk about what songs Kitty Section will practice on their way to The Liberty. 

When they get on the boat, Marinette’s phone rings. Marinette blinks in confusion, then pulls her phone out of her pocket. 

It’s Alya.

The band sees the contact, and they all look apprehensive.

“Do you want to pick that up?” Ivan asks, eyes glancing between the phone’s screen and Marinette’s face.

Marinette shakes her head and lets the call go to voice message. “I’ll...I’ll talk to her later. I’m here to listen to you guys, not her.” She silences her phone, then slips it into her purse, careful not to bump Tikki. “So, what song are you guys starting with?” 

The band quickly jumps into action, heading over to their practice space. Marinette takes a seat and pulls out her sketchbook, then watches them warm up.

The time flies, and Marinette is pulled into a creative daze, drawing costume ideas for Kitty Section. It’s not until a few hours pass that the band stops, ready to eat something. They decide to head to a nearby café for lunch.

It’s while they’re in the middle of a conversation about their newest song that Rose goes, “Guys! Look at this! It’s a competition announcement!”

Conversation is cut off quickly, and the band members and Marinette crowd around Rose to see her phone’s screen. Bouncing in her seat, Rose clicks play.

Bob Roth, a music producer that’s fairly well known in Paris, starts talking as soon as the video begins. 

“ _ We’re looking for new talent! _ ” The man says on screen. “ _ Stunning musical and visual skills are a  _ must.  _ With a brand new style that everyone will die for! You have two weeks to send in your video! _ ” 

Marinette gasps, smiling. “This is the perfect chance to introduce Kitty Section to more people.” 

Luka smiles back. “And it’d be a good way for you to show off your designing skills.”

Marinette blushes, but is distracted by Juleka.

“If we all keep up the work, two weeks...that should be enough time, right?” She asks, and Marinette finds herself nodding.

“That should be plenty of time! I can start working on costumes right away, I already had an idea based on your newest song.” Marinette pulls out her sketchbook, flipping it open to show the band members her kitty and unicorn inspired apparel that she’d made for them.

Juleka smiles. “ _ Rad _ …” 

“I love it! Can mine have pink? Ooh, can the horn be glitter?” Rose gasps. “Oh, or would that be too much?”

“It can be pink, don’t worry. I don’t think glitter matches the punk, what about...what about a bright blue?” Marinette likes the idea, and from Rose’s excited nod, she does as well. 

They spend the next half an hour going over the costume plans Marinette has, and by the time she leaves them to go home, she has color swatches and material ideas running through her head.

“I’ll have to get started on this right away,” Marinette mutters to Tikki as she walks back home. “I should text Kagami, so she knows it’ll be awhile before I create her outfit. I hope that she doesn’t mind.”

“I’m sure that she won’t, Marinette!” Tikki responds, peering out of the purse. “She’s very understanding.”

Marinette nods in agreement, and slips her phone out from beside Tikki. She quickly sends Kagami a text to explain the situation.

Seconds later, she has a reply.

‘ _ I understand completely. Will the design be on hold as well, or will I still get to see it on Monday? _ ’

Marinette grins and types a response. ‘ _ The design is ready, I just won’t be able to start creating it, if you decide that you want it. :( _ ‘

‘ _ I look forward to seeing your design, Marinette. I’ll see you on Monday. _ ’ 

Marinette smiles at the text and slips her phone back into her purse. “She understands.”

“I told you that she would!” Tikki smiles, then glances up before gasping and darting back into the purse. Marinette blinks in confusion, then looks up to see Alya, who is staring at her phone and angrily tapping her foot as she leans against the outside of her parents’ bakery.

‘ _ Is it too late to duck in an alley and transform? _ ’ Marinette wonders to herself. 

It is.

Alya looks up, and immediately narrows her eyes at Marinette. “Girl, where  _ were _ you?” Alya asks, pocketing her phone and crossing her arms. “I called you like ten times!”

Marinette blinks, then shrugs. “I was out with friends. I don’t have to pick up when you call, Alya.”

“It’s rude to ignore your bestie,” Alya points out.

“That’s true. But Alya, we already had this conversation. We aren’t best friends.” 

Alya snorts. “Mari-”

“Don’t call me that.” She doesn’t mean to interrupt, but she does.

Somehow, that catches Alya off guard. “What?”

“Please, stop calling me that.”

“Why? I’ve always called you that!”

Marinette smiles sweetly and steps forward, walking to the entrance. Looking Alya in the eyes, Marinette opens the door and states, “Only my friends can call me Mari.”

She lets the door shut behind her. Alya doesn’t open it. Instead, the girl just blinks at Marinette’s retreating form, left to her own company. 

Marinette greets her parents, grabs some cookies, and goes upstairs to sketch out the final plans for the Kitty Section costumes.

She dives into her work, forgetting about Alya at the same time.

It’s so easy, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some Kitty Section for all of you, and Alya, because we all *love* her and Marinette's friendship, don't we?


	17. An Overdue Talk

Chapter Seventeen

Marinette sighs when her designing is interrupted by her phone ringing. She decides to ignore it, moving back to the mask she was painting on. It has to be perfect, because she refuses to make anything less than her best for her Kitty Section friends.

She doesn’t get to return to the mask.

“Marinette,” Tikki says, floating over the phone. “It’s Master Fu.”

In a flash, the mask is on her desk and the phone is in her hands. Marinette accepts the call, immediately asking, “Master? Are you okay?”

She hears a single chuckle. “I am alright, Ladybug, but I would like to speak with you. Are you able to head over for a while?”

Marinette nods, even though Fu can’t see her. “Of course. I’ll be right over.” 

“Thank you.” He hangs up, and Marinette stands. Grabbing her purse, she opens it to let Tikki fly in.

“Come on. Let’s go see what Master Fu wants to talk about.” Marinette opens the door to her room and climbs down.

A few minutes, an excuse about going for a walk, and a quick swing across town as Ladybug later, Marinette is outside of Fu’s place. She knocks on the door, and Fu opens it seconds later.

“Ah, Ladybug. That was fast. Please, come in. I’ve made tea.” He beckons her inside, and shuts the door behind her. 

“You wanted to speak with me, Master Fu?” Marinette asks, sitting down. She watches Tikki fly out of her purse, immediately circling around Wayzz before floating beside him.

“Yes. On Tuesday, you told me that Rena Rouge is no longer dependable. I would like to know why you judged her as untrustable.”

Marinette smiles wryly. “Do you want to hear the whole story? It’s kind of long.”

Fu just smiles patiently. “I made a whole pot of tea.”

So Marinette begins to tell the story again, but this time she tells Fu the whole truth. She starts with Rena Rouge’s identity, and how close they had been. She talks about how much faith she had put into Alya, how she believed that, no matter what, Alya would always be by her side. She tells Fu about Alya’s blind trust in Ladybug, in her willingness to follow the spotted heroine in order to blog about her. 

And then she tells about Lila, and how, in a moment of jealousy, Marinette had followed her. How Lila had stolen the book from Adrien and had thrown it in the trash, the same book that she and Fu had made a copy of in order to use it without hurting Adrien’s chance to go to school. She talks about Volpina’s first appearance, and how Lila rejected her apology and friendship after the battle. She recounts every moment of Lila’s return, from the seating disagreement, to Adrien’s high road advice, to the current moment.

And then she talks about how she feels. Marinette talks about how she loves her friends, but it’s bittersweet with most of them. She talks about Alya, who believes that Marinette is faking her emotions. She talks about Adrien, her previous crush who expected her to feel guilty for outing Lila. She talks about the classmates who haven’t apologized, who haven’t looked her in the eyes out of shame or denial. She talks about Kitty Section, and how she feels like her friendships with the band members are repairing quickly. Marinette spends a good fifteen minutes alone talking about how four of her classmates have apologized and are making honest attempts to be better, and how great they’ve been. She spends twenty more minutes talking about Luka and Kagami, and how they’re two of the closest people in her life, and that they support her endlessly.

And when she finishes, Fu only asks one question, “What about Chat Noir?”

She doesn’t understand. “What about Chat Noir?”

“Has he been a good partner? Does he know that you’re hurting, and has he helped you? You never mentioned him.”

Marinette’s eyes widen as she realizes that Fu is right. Not once had Chat Noir come up. Not once had she mentioned calling him her best friend, or mentioned the harassment comment from the Rena Rouge versus Arctic Fox debate. So, she clears her throat and speaks.

“Chat Noir is a good partner. We get the job done, we beat the Akumas.” Then she frowns. “Although sometimes I wish that he’d be a bit more serious.”

“Elaborate, please.” 

For some reason, Marinette finds herself hesitating, as if her words will change the course of her future. But Master Fu sits patiently, hands clasped around his tea, and Marinette lets the words come out.

“Well, Chat Noir...he loves me.” She blushes. “He’s made it obvious plenty of times, to the point of being reckless. He flirts with me openly during Akuma fights, he’s confessed his love to me and asked me out so often I can’t even count, and he acts like I hung the stars in the sky. But I don’t return his feelings. I never have, because I was in love with Adrien until just recently. And while Chat is one of my closest friends, if not my best friend, he..he has flaws.” Marinette sighs, staring into her tea. She doesn’t notice how Fu watches her intently. “He doesn’t really know when to stop. He flirts when we’re in danger. He gets upset when I reject him- which I get, I would have been upset if Adrien rejected me! But he doesn’t control his feelings during fights. He throws, well, tantrums. I just...I wish he would realize that this isn’t a game.”

Marinette looks up then, and sees how upset Fu is. Thinking that she’s said the wrong thing, Marinette is quick to say, “But it’s okay! He’s really sweet normally, it’s only like ten percent of the time that he gets like that! He’s a great friend otherwise, and I  _ know _ he’d never actually leave me in danger. It’s not like he’d ever give up Chat Noir because I rejected him or upset him.” She giggles nervously, feeling as if she’s treading dangerous waters. She feels nervous, and Fu just keeps watching her. She doesn’t know why she feels so anxious, why she feels like she gave away some secret that wasn’t supposed to come to light.

Then Fu speaks. “He nearly did.”

And the world freezes over. 

“What do you mean.” She can’t even get the words out as a question. She can’t even process the words fully. 

Fu sighs. “Do you remember Syren?”

“Of course. How could I forget the day that Paris became a giant pool, and half of Paris nearly drowned?” Her voice is hysterical, what could have  _ happened _ during Syren? Chat wouldn’t have- he couldn’t have-

But they had fought. Chat had run off, angry at her. Angry that she wouldn’t- couldn’t- give up Fu’s identity yet. 

Marinette can’t believe that Chat would go so far as to threaten leaving her. It’s his freedom, isn’t it?

Fu can see her emotions on her face, and he looks her in the eyes. “When I finally got to him, he was detransformed. I may not remember the exact words, but he was telling Plagg that he would give up Chat Noir if Plagg didn’t reveal who I was.”

Marinette feels her eyes widen and hears the gasp that she lets out more than she realizes that she’s doing these things. “No…”

“I looked past his actions in the moment, because that wasn’t the time nor the place to try to deal with getting a new Cat for you. But perhaps I should have followed up on that idea and found a new partner.”

“You- you don’t mean that.” This doesn’t make sense, this wasn’t how Marinette was planning for this conversation to go. “I know Chat is a bit reckless, but...but he’s trying his best. This is his freedom, his chance to escape. He’s told me how stifling his home life is, I can’t be the reason he loses this.”

“Chat isn’t trying his best, and he hasn’t been for a long time. He hasn’t been from the moment he put flirting with you above dealing with Akumas. He hasn’t been since the moment he put his feelings above yours. And he hasn’t been worthy of the Miraculous since he tried to make that ultimatum with Plagg. I’m sorry for letting this go on for so long.” Fu looks remorseful, as if he’s done something wrong. “I always have made mistakes like this. A Guardian should never hesitate to fix their mistakes, and yet I have done it once again.”

Marinette tightens her grip on her teacup, emotions rolling around within her, colliding and confused. “Master, I’m sure Chat can change. I mean, look at me!” She sets down the cup to gesture to herself, trying to smile. It feels wobbly. “I was a mess, too! When I was in love with Adrien, I was, well, kind of creepy. I had his whole schedule tracked! I was weird and stalkerish and-”

“Marinette.” One word cuts her off, and she feels her grin drop. Fu is serious, determined, his mind set. “I know that Chat Noir is a friend of yours, I know that he’s been through everything with you, and as such, you don’t want to hurt him. But what about yourself? For every time Chat plays around, you have to take on more work. For every time he gets mind-controlled, you’re left alone to fight him. For every moment that he’s upset about a rejection, that’s a moment that an Akuma can hurt you both. Even looking past how he treats you as a partner, as bad as that is, his actions put all of Paris in danger. Can you truly ask me to ignore that, now that I finally see the danger, in order for him to be happy?”

She opens her mouth, trying to defend her friend. 

But he’s right, and when Marinette admits it to herself, she feels...almost relieved. That creeping, sinking feeling she’s had since the topic turned to Chat slips away, as if she’s fine now.

“I can’t,” she says instead, and Fu frowns. “I trust your judgement on this, Master. If a new hero had...if a new hero had acted like that, I wouldn’t have brought them back. Paris is more important.” The words crush her and make it easier for her to breathe. 

“I know,” he responds. “Which is why I want to train you to be the next Guardian.”


	18. Hotheads and Heated Words

Chapter Eighteen

_ “I know,”  _ he had said.  _ “Which is why I want to train you to be the next Guardian. _ ”

She hadn’t believed it when he said it. Now, on her way to school this  _ wonderful  _ Monday morning, she  _ still  _ doesn’t.

The conversation still runs through her head on repeat, each word ingrained into her memory until it’s all she can think about. 

_ “What?!” Marinette yelled, eyes flying wide open and jaw dropping. _

_ _ _ Master Fu had simply smiled and said, “I am old, I have had my time. I have made my mistakes and learned from them, and now it is your time to start the process. You are young, you are learning, and I am sure that you will be wiser than I am now with time.” _

_ _ _ “But- but I’m just Marinette!” _

_ _ _ “There is nothing ‘just’ about you. You are Marinette, the reason Paris is safe. You are Ladybug, the heroine and protector against Hawkmoth. You have made mistakes, but you have corrected them. You are more worthy than I have ever been to take up this mantle.” _

_ _ _ “But I’m not ready!”  _

_ _ _ “You are, Marinette, and you will be better as you continue down your path in life. Go rest for now, Ladybug, and we will talk more soon.” _

_ _ She had stumbled out of his house, legs weak and unsure of herself. And even now, she still questions Fu’s decision, not entirely convinced that it was thought out.

But Tikki claimed otherwise. Last night, she and Tikki had sat on the balcony and talked. 

_ “Tikki, did you ever think that Fu would say something like that? I mean, seriously! Me, the Guardian? I’m clumsy, I’m constantly messing up. Heck, I can’t even pick a good team without having to choose a new one.” _

_ _ _ Marinette looked to Tikki for the Kwami’s thoughts, and the little goddess had smiled up at her. _

_ _ _ “I did, Marinette! Ever since you found that book, I knew you’d be a good match for the role. The two of you have interpreted most of that book together, and you’ve become a great Ladybug and leader. It’s  _ because _ you changed your team that I knew he’d make his decision. You were able to admit that your previous decisions weren’t the best, and fixed them. I’m proud of you, Marinette.” _

_ _ They hadn’t spoken for much longer, Marinette had begun to cry at the sweet words. But now Marinette feels better, and she finds herself looking a bit forward- just a bit- to her new role in life. Sure, training may be hard, and the obligation places even  _ more _ responsibility onto her shoulders, but if this is what she needs to be, she’ll step up and take the role with pride. 

For now, however, Marinette steps into her classroom, which is slowly filling with her peers. Rose and Juleka are already in the back, and they wave to her happily, calling her over. Marinette rushes up the stairs.

She doesn’t see the way Alya looks at her, her eyes following Marinette. She doesn’t see the anger, or how it fades into sadness for a second- just a second- before disappearing entirely. 

Instead, Marinette sees the wide grins on her two friends’ faces, and asks, “What is it, girls?”

Juleka just asks, “How are the costumes coming along?”

“Oh! I’ve gotten a good amount of progress done! One of the masks are painted completely, and the other three are ready for when I finish my homework tonight.”

“Is it Luka’s that you completed?” Rose asks, trying to look innocent.

Marinette blushes. “Yeah.”

“Aww.” Rose cooes. “That’s so sweet.”

“Luka has been talking about you since you left. He keeps going on and on about how nice you are for making the costumes.” Juleka smirks. “He’s probably going to thank you at least seven times at lunch.”

Marinette giggles. “He doesn’t have to do that. I’m happy to make them for you guys. You’re my friends, after all!”

Marinette doesn’t miss the way that Juleka and Rose’s eyes light up at the statement, and feels appreciated. 

Rose opens her mouth to speak, but is cut off by the bell ringing. With a quick smile, Marinette slips into her seat, grinning at Nathaniel before pulling out her tablet.

It feels like it’ll be a nice, peaceful day.

\-----

It is  _ not _ a nice, peaceful day. It’s only the second class of the day when, all of a sudden, the side of the class is being broken down. Marinette can practically  _ feel  _ the gasps of her class as the Akuma hops in, his eyes alight with fury.

Literally. 

He’s on  _ fire _ .

The Akuma’s head is covered in flames, while the rest of him is dressed simply in a red suit. It’s an...interesting approach.

“I am Hothead!” He shouts, throwing a now empty desk. “And if I can’t have a cool temper,  _ nobody  _ can!” Suddenly, Hothead’s hands are glowing, and he smacks Max across the face. 

Max’s head quickly takes on an orange, fiery color, then bursts into flames as he turns to face the class. “You know,” he starts, eyes searching the class, “there is a one-hundred percent chance that you’re all idiots.”

Hothead laughs maniacally, then turns to sneer at Alya. “Ugh. You’re that  _ Ladyblogger _ , aren’t you? I’ve always despised journalists.”

Alya, who already has her phone out and recording, backs away in fear as Hothead comes towards her. “Listen, I’m sure that we-”

“Shut up!” Hothead is directly in front of her in seconds, and there’s an audible smack as he hits her. 

When her head turns back, she glares at the Akuma. 

Marinette blinks as Alya begins to roast Hothead, belittling him for how he interrupted her and even went so far as to hit her. Hothead, in return, starts to mock her for her blog and how much she whines.

Needless to say, neither spot Marinette slipping out of the classroom.

As soon as she’s out of the room, Marinette sprints down the stairs and straight out of the school. As soon as she’s hidden in a nearby alley, Marinette opens her purse.

“Tikki, spots on!” The familiar flash of pink and rush of energy overtake her, and then she’s hopping onto the nearest roof, ready to take down the newest Akuma.

Surprisingly, Alya is still chewing Hothead out when Ladybug swings into the class through the hole Hothead made.. “And, for the record, the whole theme you have? It  _ sucks _ . I mean seriously,  _ Hothead _ ? Why is your head on fire? What’s the point of mine being on fire?! Was it all for a pun, because it’s not very good.”

“Yeah, I think it’s time you chill out,” Chat’s voice comes from beside her, making Ladybug jump. In the rush of sneaking away to transform, she’d forgotten about Fu’s decision about Chat Noir. 

‘ _ It’s only a matter of time, _ ’ Ladybug thinks, and wonders if she should feel more saddened at her upcoming loss of a friend, or relief because soon,  _ soon _ , she won’t have to worry about him getting sacrificed or taken out of the fight, or his constant flirting, or-

“Ah. You’re just the stray I was looking for,” Hothead says, pulling Ladybug out of her thoughts.

‘ _ Right. Can’t get distracted. _ ’ She reminds herself, clearing her head.

“Hey! That’s not very nice!” Chat responds with a grin. “I’m no stray.” Ladybug can feel his eyes on her as he says, “I’ve already got someone who’s taken me in by the heart.”

Ladybug just sighs. “Focus, Chat. We need to find his object.”

“Oh yeah!” Chat looks back at Hothead. “So, buddy, you ready to take a chill pill?”

“Ugh! That’s the second time you used a pun with chill! Seriously, can’t you make other jokes?” Alya complains loudly, waving her phone around in her annoyance. 

Hothead snorts. “Oh, you’ll be having  _ plenty _ to say when you can’t hold your tongue.” And then he lunges at Chat Noir, arms outstretched. 

Chat Noir quickly leaps out of the building, shouting, “Can’t catch me!” 

Hothead follows behind without hesitation, and Ladybug glances around the room.

The class stares at her in return.

“Are all of you alright?” Ladybug asks, and they all nod or voice their affirmations.

Except for Max, who just huffs and stalks out of the room, and Alya, who shouts, “Do I  _ look  _ like I’m okay? No! My head is on fire, Ladybug! And it doesn’t hurt but it sure does make everything look ridiculous! Speaking of ridiculous reminds me! Where’s my M-”

“You all need to separate,” Ladybug says quickly, eyes narrowing. “Go hide somewhere, in case Hothead decides to come back.” She starts swinging her yoyo, ready to get away before Alya announces her heroine title to her blog. Speaking of…”And you, in the cap?” 

Nino glances up, eyes wide. “Yeah, Ladydude?”

“Keep your friend hidden. She’s under Akuma influence right now, it’s not wise to let her go to record.” 

Nino nods, quickly snatching Alya’s phone and turning it off, then walking away. Alya glares at Ladybug before chasing after Nino, complaining the whole time.

With that problem solved, Ladybug follows the fight. It’s not hard to find Hothead, who’s currently screaming at Chat Noir about how unfair everyone is, and how he shouldn’t be blamed for his temper, and how, “Once everyone can’t keep their cool, they’ll see! They’ll see how hard it is to be me! And they’ll come crawling back, groveling and begging for forgiveness!” He laughs. “But I’ll say no! Because they don’t  _ deserve _ my forgiveness.”

And then it’s impossible to not hear Chat, who’s just dodging blows and joking around, as if the fight is a game. Puns keep spouting out of his mouth as he only enrages Hothead further.

Ladybug watches with wide eyes as Hothead’s flames grow taller the more Chat makes fun of him. And as the flames grow taller, Hothead becomes faster.

She’s working off of reflex when she sees Hothead lunging for Chat. She manages to snag him with her yoyo just in time, pulling her partner out of danger.

Chat smiles up at her. “Thanks, bugaboo! I always knew I’d string my way into your heart.”

Ladybug quickly retracts the yoyo, then sighs. “Chat, you can’t keep making jokes.”

“What? Why not? I’ll have you know that my puns are pun-derful, he’s just a bad sport.” Chat crosses his arms with disdain, glaring at the Akuma that’s running at them.

Hopping out of Hothead’s way, Ladybug shouts, “Don’t you see how much faster he’s gotten? How much bigger the flames are? The angrier he gets, the stronger he is!”

“And what does that have to do with the jokes?” Chat yells back, leaping onto a nearby lamppost. Glaring down at Hothead, he says, “You know, that wasn’t very cool.”

Hothead snarls, then starts to climb up to Chat. Chat yelps and hops down, darting away.

“Chat, they’re angering him!” And then it clicks.

Because if angering him makes him stronger, then-

“Chat, distract him! But no puns!” Yoyo in hand, Ladybug says, “I’m going to get help!”

To her confusion, Chat groans. “Again? My Lady, we don’t need Arctic Fox all of the time.” His voice turns venomous as he speaks about the Fox hero. “We’re fine as we are, just the two of us.”

Ladybug cringes at that. “Chat, now isn’t the time.”

He glares at her. “It’s never the time with you.” 

“Chat-”

“Whatever. Go get your Fox. Just remember: a Fox can never be as loyal and trustworthy as a Cat.” Then, with his head held high, Chat Noir leaps at Hothead, racing right at him before moving to dodge at the last second, effectively annoying, and distracting, Hothead. The Akuma gives chase, running after the cat that’s been upsetting him for the last few minutes. 

Swinging across Paris, Ladybug can’t help but worry for Chat, wondering if he’ll be able to handle Hothead long enough without enraging him any further.

She doesn’t have time to think about this. Instead, she detransforms and darts into Fu’s shop and home, calling out for him.

“Master Fu!” Marinette yells. Master Fu looks away from Wayzz, expression calm.

“Marinette. Do you need Arctic Fox?” He asks, already grabbing the gramophone and putting in the code. Watching the Miraculi pop up, Marinette hesitates.

“I need the holder...but an illusion can’t help me right now. The Akuma is angry, and the angrier he gets, the stronger he becomes.”

“So you want to calm him down?”

“Exactly! And I thought I’d take-”

“The Snake Miraculous?”

Marinette smiles up at Fu. “Yes! I think that we need the lyre right now, it could be helpful to calm Hothead down.”

“If that’s what you believe will help you, then here you go. Now go quickly, and stop this Akuma.”

“Of course. Thank you, Master.” Snake bangle in hand, Marinette races out of the shop, transforms, and swings back to her school.

And luckily for her, Luka is sitting on the roof, eyes scanning the sky. He smiles when he sees her.

“Ladybug,” he greets. “I didn’t know if you’d need me, so I made sure to stay somewhere easy for you to find me.”

“Thank you. Luka, I’d like to present to you the Miraculous of the Snake. With this, you will be granted the power of Second Chance, and can go back in time to a set point to help save the day. When you are done, the Miraculous must be returned to me.”

Luka nods. “Of course.” Opening the box, Luka’s eyes widen as Sass appears. “Woah, little buddy, what’s your name?”

“I am Sass, and I will be your Kwami for this fight. I assume that Ladybug has explained?” When Luka nods, Sass says, “My transformation phrase is, ‘Sass, scales slither,’ and to detransform, simply say, ‘Sass, scales rest.’”

“Sass, scales slither!” A bright cyan light takes over the guitarist, and when it fades, a new hero stands before Ladybug. Luka is covered in a black and cyan suit, which, much like the Fox suit, does little to hide the muscular build that the boy has. The tips of his hair fade into the same cyan color, along with his eyes. Finally, the boy now holds a lyre, which he gives an experimental pluck.

“Huh. That felt...different. Almost like,” Luka quickly plays a tune, one that’s calm and yet has an underlying tone of energy. “It was pleasant.”

Ladybug smiles. “Each Miraculous represents something different, and as such has a different transformation feel that’s more in tune with its energy and meaning. But that’s a talk for another time, Arc-” Ladybug frowns. “Right. We need another hero name for you.”

“What about Viperion?” 

“That sounds good. Come on, Viperion, we have an angry Akuma to deal with.”

They race towards the fight side by side, not noticing how Fu is slowly making his way to the area. 

When they get there, Ladybug groans. It’s easy to see that Hothead has gotten stronger, with how he’s nearly twice as fast as he was when Ladybug left. 

“He had  _ one  _ job, and  _ one  _ rule to follow. Is it that hard to not use puns?” Ladybug mutters, then turns to Viperion. “I’m not sure how much we’ll need your Second Chance, but if you use it, we’ll only have five minutes before the timer ends and you detransform. So make sure that you keep an eye on that bangle.”

“Got it. Want me to go distract him with the lyre, see if he calms?”

Ladybug nods. “It’s our best shot right now.”

As soon as Viperion hops down, however, everything goes wrong. Chat and Hothead are both distracted, but Chat looks even angrier than the Akuma.

“You got  _ another  _ guy?” He shouts, looking offended. “Buginette, when I said not to grab Arctic, I didn’t mean that you should find some other guy! What about Queen Bee, or some other girl?”

Ladybug huffs. “Now is  _ not _ the time, Chat Noir! It doesn’t matter if I choose a guy or a girl, what matters is that there is an  _ Akuma _ !” 

The Akuma, in fact, takes these few seconds to dart at Chat Noir and slap him across the face. As soon as Chat falls back, Hothead cheers. “I’ve been wanting to do that since I saw his stupid face!” Turning to Ladybug, he states, “Your partner sucks. Full offense.”

She can’t protest anymore. Instead, Ladybug says, “If that’s out of your system, can we please talk? What happened that made you so upset?”

“What happened?” Hothead snorts, ignoring the now on fire Chat Noir. “What happened is none of your business!” 

“Au contraire,” Viperion interrupts smoothly, “that’s exactly why she’s here. We’d like to help you, Hothead.”

“Help me? You can’t help me! You can’t change what’s wrong with me, and I can’t either! But I can change others, I can make them feel the same.”

“But is that really what you want? To be understood by making them hurt the same way? Wouldn’t you rather talk it out, explain yourself?” Ladybug sees Chat getting up, rubbing his flaming head. 

“Please. Talking it out never helps. I mean, look at you and your partner! You talk and you talk, but has he ever listened?” Hothead snorts. “Doesn’t look like progress to me.”

Chat scoffs. “Shut up! You’re just jealous of our love!”

Ladybug doesn’t try to correct him. It’s futile, especially when he’s being influenced by an Akuma. 

Viperion speaks before anyone else can. “Perhaps music can make you feel better. Here, let me play you a song.”

“I don’t want to hear your stupid music! You could never play what I like with that stupid thing, it’s just-”

“What type do you like? Pop? Rock?”

“Rock. Pop is just  _ trashy _ .” Hothead gags, and Viperion nods calmly.

Then, after a few seconds, Viperion begins to play a Jagged Stone song. Hothead pauses, shocked.

Ladybug has to trust Viperion with Hothead for the moment, because just as she goes to look for his item, she’s knocked down by Chat Noir. 

Chat smiles down at her, but it’s vicious. “My Lady!” He cries, then scowls. “I  _ really  _ wish you’d stop playing so hard to get. It’s irritating.”

“Chat, please-”

“No! You keep telling me that we’ll talk later, that we’re best friends, that you care about me- and then you do this to me! You ignore me, you only ever talk to me during patrols or fights, and even then it’s always work, work, work! You rarely ever tell me about your life, and I  _ know  _ you’re hiding your feelings, too, since you won’t just admit that you love me!” Chat snarls and hits the ground beside her head. “I’m sick of it!”

“Chat...Chat just get off of me, and as soon as we deal with Hothead, I promise that we-”

“Stop! Just stop! Stop making me chase you, stop leading me on! Admit it! Say you love me!” He’s in her face now, and through the flames Ladybug can see his tears. Guilt racks her heart...but so does fear.

And even though this isn’t Chat in his right mind, Ladybug knows that these words are ones that he believes. 

She tries to speak, tries to comfort Chat because he’s pinned her down in a way that she can’t move, he’s glaring at her like he hates her, and he won’t get up, won’t go after the Akuma-

She hears a crack. And suddenly, the fire around Chat’s head is gone, and he falls down. Ladybug doesn’t hesitate, slipping out from under him. She looks to Viperion.

He stands there, a broken ring in his hand. Wordlessly, he points up to the sky. Ladybug spots the Akuma and quickly flies into action, catching it and casting her Miraculous Cure.

She sees Chat Noir getting up, and her gut clenches for a second. But Chat smiles up at her, his eyes full of confusion, and he asks, “My Lady? Did we beat him?”

“Viperion did,” Ladybug manages to get out, and Chat scowls.

“What do you mean  _ Viperion did _ ? What about you? Why didn’t you-”

_ Beep _ .

The sound comes from Viperion’s wrist, and he frowns. “I need to go detransform.”

Ladybug feels odd, looking from Chat to Viperion. She feels as if this is the last time she will ever be able to see this cat themed hero like this, the last time Chat Noir will have his beloved freedom.

And then she sees Master Fu nearby, and she knows that she’s right. 

Ladybug feels like she should say something to Chat, like she should say goodbye. She feels like she owes him closure.

_ Beep. _

“I guess we’ll talk  _ later _ , huh?” Chat huffs out, already turning. “I’ll see you at patrol, Bugaboo.”

She owes him nothing.

Turning, Ladybug says, “Follow me, Viperion.” 

The two leap away, and a minute later they’re hidden in an alley. Viperion detransforms, and Ladybug frowns.

“Why did you have to detransform?” Ladybug asks. “You never used Second Chance.”

Luka smiles sadly. “But I did. I used it at the beginning.”

He had?

“How long did it take?” She asks as he hands over the bangle. She puts it into its box.

“We took thirty tries before I could reach the object before Chat-” Luka frowns. “Ladybug, you should talk to Chat Noir about staying out of the way of Akumas that can possess people.”

“What happened, Luka?” There’s something about the way Luka pauses that makes Ladybug worry.

“He used Cataclysm,” Luka whispers.

Oh.

_ _ _ Oh. _

Ladybug reaches a hand up to cover her gasp, but it’s clear in the silence. “N-no.”

Luka grimaces. “I know he wouldn’t do that in his right mind, and that’s why he needs to be cautious.”

“He’s not going to be the Cat anymore,” Ladybug blurts out, looking away.

“What?”

“I talked to the Guar- to the person who entrusted me with my Miraculous, and Chat’s. They’re the person that I get the other Miraculi from, too. Chat Noir’s last fight was today. He’s become too risky, too carefree. There’s too many flaws to keep him in that person’s mind, and I can’t...I can’t argue against their reasoning.”

Luka is silent, processing this. Then he asks, “Does Chat know?”

“I didn’t until last night. The person who entrusted us is with Chat Noir right now.”

“I’m sorry that you’ve had to fight so long like this.”

Ladybug...hadn’t expected that. She had expected blame, or disbelief, but Luka is nothing if not sincere, and Ladybug smiles sadly.

“Thank you. And thank you, for saving the day. I can’t imagine Chat ever using Cataclysm on me, I’m glad I don’t remember the time he used it.” 

“Nineteen,” Luka gets out. “It was nineteen times.”

Shaking the thought away, Ladybug turns. “I have to go, but thank you again. I’ll probably be calling on you again soon, now that I’m without a permanent partner.”

“I’ll be ready when you need me,” Luka responds without hesitation. “Please, stay safe.”

Ladybug nods, glancing back at him. She’s surprised to see how worried his eyes are, but assumes it’s due to the stress of seeing the heroine of Paris die. 

She doesn’t even consider the idea that maybe, just maybe, Luka had learned something else during the battle. Instead, she just rushes back to the school, detransforming behind a building before racing to her class. 

Marinette is so focused on getting to class, so focused on forgetting what happened, that she doesn’t notice how defeated, how broken Adrien Agreste looks as he sits back in his own sit in the front of the room. 

And with how far back she is in the room, Marinette doesn’t spot the way his hand is bare, no longer adorned by a silver ring.

She just tries to ignore the multiple deaths that she’s forgotten, and pushes through the day.

There’s still more to be done after school. After all, Marinette still has the Snake Miraculous on her, and needs to talk to Fu again. But for now, the poor girl just takes a moment to breathe.

There’s no use in worrying. She just has to be patient.

So she will be. 

****   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over 4,000 words, I hope this chapter was worth the slightly longer wait! I, for one, had a blast with this chapter! I hope you all enjoy~ <3


	19. When the Torch is Passed Down

Chapter Nineteen

Marinette is itching to head back to Fu’s home by the time the bell rings, but nothing ever goes as planned, does it?

At the very least, it’s not a raging Akuma or angry classmate this time. No, it’s just Nathaniel, who asks Marinette, “Hey, I, uh, I overheard you with Rose and Juleka earlier...You’re making outfits for them?”

Marinette nods. “Yep! Kitty Section is going to send in a video to Bob Roth for a competition, and I’m making the costumes for them. Why?”

Nathaniel blushes, his face quickly matching the color of a tomato. “Well, I was wondering...do you guys need any artwork? Like, flier designs.” He’s tugging at the edge of his shirt collar now, his eyes not meeting hers. “I saw your drawings, and I was a bit inspired.” 

Marinette blinks as Nathaniel shoves a paper into her hands. The sketch is a quick one, but it’s still well done. It depicts the four masks in a diamond pattern, with a ‘KS’ in the center. Nathaniel had given it color with random pops of bright blue, pink, and purple, and Marinette smiles.

“It’s...it’s a start. It’s kind of simple, but I thought it was nice and-”

“I like it,” Marinette says, then turns to Rose, Juleka, and Ivan. “Guys, Nathaniel made a design. Nathaniel, do you mind if they see?”

Nathaniel just nods, still blushing.

Rose is the first to voice her thoughts. “I love it! Oh, and you put pink in the eye parts! That’s so cute! Does that mean that’s my mask?”

“Yeah. The one with the purple on the mask was Juleka’s, and the other two are probably obvious.”

“It’s wicked. If we debut-”

“When we debut!” Rose cuts Juleka off with a smile, and Juleka matches it.

“When we debut, could we use this?”

Nathaniel shrugs. “Well, I based it off of the masks Marinette is making, so I feel that’s her choice.”

Marinette blinks, surprised by Nathaniel’s choice, but then she beams. “I think it’s a wonderful idea! Just make sure to sign the flier so everyone knows who the artist is!”

Nathaniel nods. “Yeah, I’ll make sure to do that. Thank you.”

“Yep! I have to go now, bye, guys! I’ll see you tomorrow!” Marinette waves goodbye and heads out of the door, hoping to get to her locker and go to Fu’s without further delay. 

She runs into Kagami in the locker room, who’s just finished closing her own locker.

“Hello, Marinette,” Kagami greets, a small smile appearing as she looks to the bluenette.

Marinette smiles back. “Hey, Kagami!” She opens her own locker. “Anything interesting happen today?”

“Not really, unless you count my science test being interrupted due to today’s Akuma attack. But that’s just your average day in Paris, isn’t it?”

Marinette cringes at the reminder. “Yeah. Hopefully it’ll stop soon?” She really hopes so, but at the same time...she hasn’t found any leads on Hawkmoth’s identity, and the villain doesn’t seem ready to just give up.

Kagami frowns. “I wish that were the case, Marinette, but it doesn’t seem to be that way. I’d like to help the heroes, but I’m not of much use without the powers that they have.” Kagami shrugs. “I suppose staying out of the way is the most I can do. I’ll see you tomorrow, Marinette.”

“See you!” Marinette says before Kagami lets the door shut behind her. Then she’s alone, except for Tikki, who can’t come out of her purse just yet.

Marinette finally leaves the school a few moments later, and heads to Master Fu’s by foot. Her parents already know that she’ll be home later than usual (she’d claimed that she wanted to go for a walk after school and get some fresh air), so she doesn’t stop to drop off her bag before going to the Guardian.

Tea is already ready when Marinette knocks on the door. In minutes, she and Fu are sitting with their cups, watching Wayzz and Tikki greet each other.

Marinette speaks before Fu can, pulling out the box that holds the Snake Miraculous. “Master Fu, I’m sorry that I couldn’t return this straight after the battle, but here it is now.” 

But Fu just smiles and pushes the box back to her. “It’s better off in your hands, Marinette.”

“What do you mean?” 

Master Fu waves to the gramophone, his smile fading as his expression grows more serious. “Marinette, as I said before, you will be the next Guardian. You have already learned much from our time working on interpreting the book and creating those potions, and you have learned from your choices of teammates. I know that I can entrust you to the most important task of being a Guardian- keeping the Miraculous Box safe.”

That’s not what Marinette expected. “You’re serious? I thought training would be me coming here to learn more about the Kwamis, and how to best work with the Miraculi, and more knowledge that you can teach me, not me taking everyone but Wayzz to my house!”

Fu smiles sadly, and says, “Marinette, while a part of your training will be coming to my place to learn more, the most important thing for you to learn is to keep all of them safe. This will be easier on you whenever you need a hero. It is rather inefficient to run to me, instead of keeping the Kwami with you in your house. And having them with you may help you decide who you need permanently, now that you’re currently alone on that front.”

The words make Marinette pause, and she looks to the gramophone. “Is..Is the Cat Miraculous in there?”

“Yes.” Fu sighs. “It had to be done, Marinette, for the sake of Paris. Freedom meant everything for him, I know that, but his freedom cost the citizens of Paris, and he did not fulfill his role as your partner.”

Marinette nods, eyes still locked on the gramophone. “Do you think he’ll learn from this?”

“If he chooses to look past his own perspective, then yes. But only time will prove if he can redeem himself and become worthy ever again.”

Marinette hopes that Chat Noir, whoever he is, can see what’s gone wrong and work to become better. Because she’ll miss him, even if she won’t miss the many times he went too far.

After all, he was her best friend, not too long ago.

Time seems to be flying, events coming so quickly now. It’s as if Marinette will miss something important if she blinks.

But she does blink, and then she’s turning to look back at Fu, only to see him staring down at his wrist.

“So I’m taking the gramophone...and I can choose permanent members?” Marinette asks, pushing away thoughts of her past teammates. “But isn’t it dangerous for me to know their identities.”

“It was at first. Back when you began, it would’ve been easy for one of you to be overwhelmed by emotions or accidentally use the other’s name. Now that you have grown, I have faith that you will be fine, Marinette. But there is one last Miraculous that you must take with you.” Then, without warning, Fu slips his Miraculous off of his wrist and places it in a box. Behind her, Marinette hears Tikki gasp as Wayzz disappears from sight.

“You’re trusting me with Wayzz?” Marinette asks, shocked.

“Yes. I can not protect him much longer, and it is better for him to be with the others until he is needed. I cannot transform with him, so I am not of use for a Miraculous.”

Marinette nods, unable to express all of the things she’s feeling. There’s no way to convey the guilt she feels, for becoming a Guardian while Chat Noir is no longer around. There’s no words to describe her fear, the worry that she’ll fail. There’s no way to voice how, despite those emotions, Marinette feels a flicker of excitement, of pure determination to do this job and do it  _ right _ , because this is a responsibility that she has earned and she is  _ Ladybug _ , god damnit, she will not back down from a role like this. 

Instead, Marinette says something else. Something that’s not profound, or inspirational, but it is meaningful.

“I’ll bring him along when I come to train or visit,” Marinette says with a small smile, and Fu returns it.

“I’d like that.”

The conversation doesn’t last much longer. Soon enough, Marinette is heading home, the gramophone shoved into her bag as much as possible. She darts up to her room immediately, before her parents can notice the new musical object that she possesses. When she gets to her room, Marinette hides it in her closet. 

Then, turning to Tikki, she says, “I’m the new Guardian.”

Tikki just giggles. “You’ll be a great one, too!”

Kwamis, does she hope so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonjour, mes amants! I hope that you enjoy this chapter. (And, before anyone gets upset because it doesn't go down like the Season Three finale did, let me explain: This chapter was planned from the very beginning, and I started *planning* in July. By the time the finale came out, I already knew the main points up to this point, and a few details after. So It made no sense to change my timeline, just because the show had a different plan, considering nothing that happens in season three is guaranteed to happen in mine.)
> 
> Speaking of my timeline, I'll take the time to hint at some upcoming chapters (which are already planned out but yet to be written)!   
1\. A secret identity will be revealed.  
2\. Kagami will get a Miraculous.   
3\. Adrien will change targets.  
4\. A new student will be introduced.
> 
> And then there are some things I'd like to hint at for the *far* future, as in I have ideas but nothing set in stone:  
1\. The new student will get a Miraculous  
2\. Adrien will end up dating someone. (You can do your best to guess who, even I'm not quite sure- it's between three options, though.)  
3\. Some of Bustier's class will end up with Miraculi. They will not be permanent, and their official choices aren't set in stone. 
> 
> Now that I have said this, there is one last thing: I'm awful at creating costumes! Like, the worst! And since most of my designs aren't set in stone, I thought I'd let you guys have a chance to influence the future of this story. :D   
So, if you want to, I offer up the chance to decide on a future Miraculous user. If you can draw, a picture would be phenomenal, but if you're just as bad at art as I am, a description would be great, too! Please message your creation to @salthaven on tumblr, and I'll message you back on your decision. 
> 
> (Note- anyone can submit, and I'm not just ending the search after one hero. Along with this, if you want to create art/ideas for the CURRENT heroes, go ahead! Perhaps that, too, is enough to persuade me to write something special based off of your ideas!)
> 
> With that said, au revoir~


	20. Of Spilling Secrets and Consequent Consequences

Chapter Twenty

It’s been a  _ week _ .

One week, and no Akumas. The week of chaos, of never ending fights, is over, and Marinette is grateful.

Of course, as soon as she starts to let her guard down, Marinette begins to notice more about the world around her. Specifically, her classmates.

Even more specifically, three that sit in the front of the class.

The first time she takes notice is when she walks into school on Monday morning. She’s talking with Max, Kim, and Alix, who had all apologized last week (and were forgiven, even if Marinette hasn’t forgotten), about Kim’s most recent challenge: trying to pull open a door that must be pushed. Alix is laughing as she explains how Kim had nearly broken the handle, and how one of the customers had asked if he was a foreigner, assuming Kim just couldn’t read the signs. 

It’s in the middle of this explanation that the four walk into the classroom, and Marinette looks over to her old spot. 

She’s surprised to see Nino and Alya clearly arguing over something, and Adrien slouched over, eyes downcast and a frown on his face.

“You just don’t get it!” Alya says, words sharp as she glares at her boyfriend. “You don’t know how it feels.”

“But I  _ do _ , babe,” Nino says. Going up the stairs, Marinette catches a glimpse of the DJ’s face. He looks sad, but not as much as Adrien. “We both went through this, and we can get through this together.”

“No! You don’t understand how much my life has changed. My best friend left me, my blog has lost over half of its viewers because of Lila, and then Ladybug-”

“What  _ about _ Ladybug?” Chloé immediately cuts in, glaring at Alya. “What do  _ you  _ have against Ladybug?”

Alya opens her mouth to respond, and Marinette pauses beside Kim’s seat, watching warily. 

‘ _ Should I intervene? _ ’ Marinette wonders, then frowns. ‘ _ No. I’m not in charge of her, and it doesn’t matter anyways. It’s not like she can be Rena anymore, after all. _ ’ 

So Marinette remains calm as Rose asks, “Chloé’s right, Alya, why are you mad at Ladybug? It’s not like she ever did anything to you. Did she?”

Marinette notices how Adrien turns around to look at Alya, how his eyes hold something in them...as if he knows something he probably shouldn’t.

Alya scowls. “Oh she did something all right. You want to know what she did?” 

Nino stiffens. “Babe, maybe now isn’t the time. Just take a moment to breathe, it isn’t that b-”

Alya slams her hands on the desk and states, “She took my Miraculous!”

Marinette watches how the boys behind Alya freeze. Nino cringes back, Adrien...Adrien leans forwards. That look in his eye doesn’t go away, and Marinette doesn’t like it.

She also doesn’t like how silent the class has become. She decides to turn around, to finish up her conversation-

She doesn’t get the chance.

“You had a Miraculous?” Mylène asks. “Wait...were you Rena Rouge?”

Alya nods frantically. “I was! Ladybug needed me during Sapotis, and it was awesome!”

Nathaniel speaks up then. “But...if you were Rena Rouge, why would you be replaced?”

Alya huffs. “I don’t know! Ladybug thought that, because I made  _ one  _ mistake by posting Lila’s interviews, that I wasn’t dependable anymore! But I know she’ll want me back eventually, I was a better Fox than Arctic will ever be.”

Adrien seems drawn into Alya’s words, like a moth to a flame. 

Marinette finds her voice and speaks without thinking. “If you  _ were _ Rena Rouge, do you  _ really _ think Ladybug would give it back to you after finding out that you admitted it to your whole class?”

Alya glares at Marinette. Outright glares. As if Marinette’s question was disgusting and nonsensical. “Don’t be stupid. Of course she will. I mean, mon Dieu, she allowed Chloé to be Queen Bee again, and she announced it to all of  _ Paris _ .”

Chloé rolls her eyes. “Yeah, and Ladybug has talked to me, too. She cares about my safety so much that she’s putting me on the sidelines. She doesn’t want Hawkmoth using me.” Eyeing Alya with distaste, she adds, “If you really  _ were _ Rena, perhaps Ladybug would have spread the word and told you that I wasn’t the Bee anymore.”

“She- she did? You agreed?” Alya blanches, and if Marinette wasn’t Ladybug herself, she wouldn’t have believed it either.

But Chloé speaks the truth. Last Tuesday, just a day after she’d been given her title of Guardian, Ladybug had made a trip over to Chloé’s room at the hotel, and finally had a talk with the blonde. Chloé had...taken it surprisingly well. She listened to Ladybug, and after hearing about how the whole team, sans the bug herself, had their Miraculi taken, she’d accepted that the same was happening to her.

“ _ I knew I was too important to let the world know my identity and still be safe,” Chloé had said, sighing with disdain. “But can I...can I at least say goodbye to Pollen?” _

_ _ Luckily, Ladybug had thought to bring the Miraculous with her, and the girl and Kwami had a tearful farewell. Then Chloé surprised Ladybug once again.

_ “So, how can I earn the chance to become a new hero?” She asked. _

_ _ _ “What do you mean?” Ladybug responded, tucking the box back away. _

_ _ _ “I know there’s more Miraculous, and I...I know I hadn’t earned my spot as Queen Bee. The others are clearly being benched for doing something wrong, so tell me how to be right and I will be. I’ll prove myself to you, Ladybug. _ ”

Ladybug gave Chloé a talk on being a good person then, and when she left it was with a promise from her former tormentor: Chloé Bourgeois was going to make a change and become a better person.

Now, Marinette smiles at Chloé, who simply looks away from Alya without another comment. And just like that, the topic is dropped. 

Of course, that’s only for the morning.

The next moment is at lunch. Marinette is with Luka and Kagami, and the three of them decide to stay in the cafeteria for lunch. The three of them sit alone at their table, which Marinette is fine with, knowing that the peers who are regaining her trust have lives of their own. Besides, she could never be upset to spend time with her two favorite people.

And then Alya, Nino, and Adrien sit down at the table beside them. A few others, Mylène, Rose, and Juleka, follow them, sitting across the table from the aspiring journalist. It takes mere seconds for the topic to be brought up.

Marinette ends up hearing every single word, with Luka and Kagami falling silent as soon as the first words leave Rose’s lips.

“What was it like, being Rena Rouge?” She asks, blue eyes wide with wonder. 

Alya beams, positively beaming over the fact that she gets to spill her story at long last. “It’s amazing! I always wanted to be a superhero, just like Majestia, and with the Miraculous I can do anything. With it, I jump higher, sprint faster, and I can create illusions.”

“She speaks as if she is  _ still _ the Fox,” Kagami notes with disapproval, then adds, “if she ever was the Fox in the first place.”

Alya turns, eyes narrowed as she looks at Kagami. Marinette grimaces at that look.

‘ _ Guess she can hear us as well as we hear her, _ ’ Marinette thinks.

She definitely can, because Alya asks, “ _ What _ did you just say, Ice Queen? Because it sounded like you were calling me a  _ liar _ .”

Kagami doesn’t hesitate, and doesn’t even bat an eye before responding, “My apologies, I just find it hard to believe that you were Rena Rouge. I mean, where’s the proof? A good journalist would always  _ check her sources _ , wouldn’t she?”

Marinette blinks at the remark, surprised that Kagami remembers that statement from what feels like so long ago...but was merely a few weeks ago. A hint of satisfaction blooms in her, however, when she sees the enraged look on Alya’s face.

“Wha- How? Who told you about that?” 

“Marinette did. Or would you rather hear this from Marinette? She is a primary source, after all.” Kagami looks at Marinette. “Or do you think Alya will try to deny it?”

Alya doesn’t wait for Marinette’s response. “Listen! I made a mistake, but that doesn’t mean I’m lying or anything!”

Rose and Juleka glance at each other, concerned. 

Hesitantly, Rose asks, “Alya... _ do  _ you have proof that you were Rena Rouge?”

Alya gasps. “You- you don’t believe me? I wouldn’t lie to you guys.”

Mylène frowns, clearly remorseful. “We know, but after Lila, we just want to double check. We already messed up once by believing everything we heard.”

“We don’t want to make anymore mistakes!” Rose backs up. “Surely you understand, you’re a journalist after all! You strive for the truth.” 

Alya sputters. “Well, fine! You guys remember Sapotis, right? Well, that was my little sisters.”

“Sapotis?” Nino asks. “Babe, I never saw an Akuma named Sapotis on your blog.” He looks at her, and his eyes are pleading, begging Alya to stop.

She doesn’t.

“That’s because I couldn’t record! I was Rena Rouge, so I was helping Ladybug and Chat Noir save the day.” Alya puffs her chest out, looking smug.

But Juleka asks, “How is that proof?” and Alya deflates.

“Because I’d never miss a chance to mention a new heroine unless I  _ was _ her!”

Adrien blinks at that statement. “Alya, you  _ did _ mention Rena Rouge. A lot. You spent a week raving about her?”

Marinette is, honestly, surprised that Adrien is willing to speak against Alya.  _ Surely _ , if he thought she was a liar, he would just let her be so she didn’t end up Akumatized.

“Because I realized ignoring her would totally blow my cover. I mean, come on, secret identity 101 right there.” Alya scoffs. “Come on, guys, there’s no reason for me to lie over this.”

Max and Kim walk up to the table then, Markov speeding ahead.

“Actually, according to my calculations, there are one thousand, seven hundred and forty two reasons that would lead to you lying about being Rena Rouge. Would you like me to list my results?”

Alya flushes. “No! Because I’m not.”

But the rest of the class is coming over (and Marinette is a bit surprised that nobody else in the school is trying to listen in to the commotion), and they all look doubtful. 

“Don’t tell me you’re trying to pull a Lila on us,” Alix complains. “Just because your blog lost some viewers and Marinette isn’t your best friend anymore, there’s no reason to seek attention by claiming to be Rena Rouge.”

Alya whips her head to look at Marinette immediately, expression expectant. “Mari! You believe me, right? You were babysitting with me, you know about Sapotis and everything that happened.”

Marinette knows that Alya is Rena Rouge. But she knows this as Ladybug, not as Marinette.

“We were split up. How would I know if you were Rena?” Marinette is a normal girl with a normal life, she has no reason to know any secret identities. Doesn’t Alya realize this?

“Girl, you know me! Do you think I’d lie to you, Mari?”

“I’ve asked you not to call me that, Alya.”

Taken aback, Alya blurts out, “I can prove it!”

“You keep saying that,” Chloé taunts, “yet I haven’t heard any real proof. This is ridiculous, utterly  _ ridiculous. _ ”

“Nino is Carapace!” Alya nearly shouts, and her classmates go silent. Nino pales beside Alya, who freezes once she realizes what she said.

“Is that true?” Adrien asks, looking to Nino. “Are you Carapace?”

Nino fiddles with his headphones, eyes wide. “Dude, I-” he pauses for a second, just a split second, then snorts. “Dude, I  _ wish _ . That’d be so rad.”

Beside him, Alya’s face drops. Adrien seems disappointed as well, but gives his best friend a consolidating smile, patting his hand.

Vaguely, Marinette notices that something seems wrong. She just can’t put her finger on it…

Nino shrugs. “It’d be cool, but y’know, it’s also cool to have time to hang with my bros. Speaking of, what’s the plans from your old man?”

Adrien frowns. “Another photoshoot.”

Nino huffs. “Dude, your dad and I need to have a talk.”

“He’ll just kick you out again.”

Nino snorts. “True, but maybe it’ll knock some sense into him.”

The longer the boys banter, the more upset Alya looks. And Marinette sees it, sees how betrayed Alya is. Because her boyfriend just denied being Carapace (which, Marinette realizes, he  _ isn’t _ , not anymore. It was an honest truth.), which makes Alya look like a liar.

Rose and Juleka exchange looks, as if unsure what to believe. 

With Nino’s effective side railing of the conversation, the topic is forgotten. 

Marinette breathes out a sigh of relief, glad that the boy could stop Alya before she got more frantic in her attempts to be believed.

But the rule of three seems to despise Marinette, because it’s right after class lets out that Marinette finds Alya slamming her fists on the desk before dragging Nino outside. Concerned for her old friends, Marinette races after them, worried about what will happen.

She darts around the outside of the school, then hides behind a corner as she peers at the unhappy couple.

“You made me look like an idiot!” Alya shouts. “They don’t believe me now!”

“You didn’t have to bring up my identity, babe!” Nino responds, looking just as hurt. “Just because you wanted to shout out your secret doesn’t mean you should shout mine.”

“I didn’t mean to, but you didn’t need to  _ lie _ !”

“I didn’t lie, Alya,” Nino says, voice dropping. “I’m not Carapace...not anymore.”

“What do you mean? Of course you are!”

“ _ Babe _ ,” his tone is pleading and raw, “we’re not heroes anymore. Ladybug retired us. She retired us all. Rena Rouge is done. Queen Bee is done. Carapace is done. She’s lost trust in us, and spilling our old identities to our friends won’t help. Nette was right, we can’t go around letting people know that we were Rena and Carapace. That just guarantees that Ladybug will never let us help again.”

Alya chokes back a sob. “So you want me to just give up? You want me to believe we aren’t the Fox and Turtle like we’re supposed to be?”

“We’re  _ supposed _ to be a normal teenage couple, Alya. We were never supposed to run around in magical suits to protect Paris. Ladybug chose us for the job, she thought we were qualified. And guess what? We weren’t, and if Ladybug can admit that she chose wrong, then we can accept that and try to figure out why. We can learn from this together.”

“Together? You say together, but you weren’t there for me to help when everyone questioned my honesty. That’s  _ Adrien _ levels of helpfulness.”

“Hey, Adrien grew up with Gabriel Agreste for a father, he didn’t know any better!”

“That doesn’t make it right! And if you’re going to act like that with me, then maybe-”

“Maybe what?” Nino asks, eyes narrowing. “Maybe what, Alya?”

“Maybe we shouldn’t be in this together at all.”

Nino freezes, and Marinette has to hold back a gasp. “What? Alya, you don’t mean…”

Alya looks away, rubbing at her face. “You and I clearly aren’t working out. You refuse to back me up, you keep trying to stop me when I’m just trying to fix what’s gone wrong, and you don’t get it. You don’t get me. So maybe it’s time we separated.”

Nino steps closer to Alya, reaching out. “Babe, come on. We can, we can work this out.”

Alya shakes her head. “We can’t.”

“Alya-”

“Goodbye, Nino.” Then she’s walking away from Nino, away from their relationship-

And straight towards Marinette.

Panicking, Marinette darts away, racing across the street.

When she looks back, Alya and Nino are heading opposite ways, both upset.

Marinette can’t help but feel guilty.

‘ _ It’s not your fault, _ ’ she reminds herself. ‘ _ Alya got herself into this mess. _ ’

She doesn’t quite believe herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonsoir, mes amants! It's been a week since my last update, so here we are! Welcome to: Alya officially has no chance of being the Fox (as if she would have it back even if she stayed quiet). 
> 
> I enjoyed creating this chapter, and I hope you all enjoy it, too! <3


	21. Buzzing with Excitement (A New Monarch Has Arrived)

Chapter Twenty-One

Well, the week of no Akumas was nice. At least Marinette had the time to finish the costumes for Kitty Section.

Really, it’s a shame that Hawkmoth finally decided to continue his whole supervillain schtick. Marinette had _ just _ begun Kagami’s outfit at long last. She was so excited. I mean, come on, how often does she get to make a _ skort _?!

Needless to say, Marinette is a bit ticked off when she has to transform into Ladybug and rush into battle.

But ‘ticked off’ turns into pure annoyance as she begins to face off the Akuma alone. Because, honestly? Who is this Animaestro guy? What does he even _ want _? Why- why is he a bunch of different 2D characters?

Ladybug hates it. And the worst part? He’s constantly changing into different forms, and keeps slipping out of reach. If only he would just. Stop. Moving!

Ladybug feels her patience slipping as she goes after the Akuma. “Okay, sir, can you please just _ stop _ ? I was having a good day, and I’m sure that we can just sit down and _ talk _ about this.”

“Do you even know who I am?” The 2D dragon roars at her. 

Blinking, Ladybug slowly says, “No?”

That’s the wrong answer, because suddenly the man is racing at her, yelling in frustration. With a yelp, Ladybug moves to swing away.

She’s knocked out of the way before she can. And for a moment, when Ladybug looks up, she expects to see blond hair and glowing green eyes. 

Instead, she looks up and comes face to face with Kagami.

“Ladybug,” Kagami greets, “I can help you.”

“Then by all means, do so.” Ladybug jumps up from under Kagami and grabs the Japanese girl by the waist, then swings over to a nearby rooftop as Animaestro turns into...a ninja?

“He’s the director of the movie based on you and Chat Noir,” Kagami says, and Ladybug flinches.

“Oh...I forgot about that.” She’d heard about the premiere, but had turned down going. She was a superhero, not a celebrity, after all! Sure, it may have been interesting to see a movie about her and Chat-

Oh, oh mon Dieu _ Chat Noir _.

“_ Merde _,” Ladybug blurts out. “Oh putain oh merde oh no.”

Kagami stares at Ladybug with an open mouth, then snaps it shut. “Ladybug?”

“Chat Noir,” Ladybug says, voice strangled. Because Chat Noir is _ gone _, he’s retired and one thing Ladybug hadn’t thought of was how his absence would affect everything.

Not the Akuma battles themselves, of course. Ladybug has thought over that plenty, knowing that she’ll need to make Arctic Fox a permanent hero soon. (It looks as though soon means _ very _ soon now.)

But the citizens of Paris. How will Paris react to one of the two main heroes being gone? Will people be Akumatized over this, too?

Ladybug has a feeling that there are Chat Noir fangirls somewhere in the city. She has a feeling that they will make themselves heard if they realize Chat was removed, and didn’t volunteer to back down.

Ladybug has to deal with that later, because right now, Ladybug needs to worry about defeating Animaestro, who has disappeared once again among the people who are watching the fight.

Turning to Kagami, Ladybug asks, “Do you know what his Akuma item may be?”

“The mask.” Kagami doesn’t hesitate. “Every time he changes shape, the mask is always on his face.”

“If only I could reach him…” Ladybug mutters. “But I need a way to stop him.”

Kagami hums. “Did you not have a Miraculous that could paralyze him? Queen Bee could use Venom, couldn’t she?”

Ladybug smiles. “She did!”

“So, are you getting..._ her _ back?” Kagami scrunches up her nose. “In my opinion, the girl has a long way to go before she’s ready to be a heroine.”

“Oh, Queen Bee is retired. But I _ do _ need a Bee.” Ladybug smirks, an idea coming to mind. “Kagami, wait right here.”

“Of course, Lady-” Ladybug swings away before Kagami can finish speaking.

With a quick trip to her house, Ladybug has two Miraculi on hand. She hunts down Luka easily, finding him chilling on The Liberty (Ladybug can’t help but feel jealous, remembering that not everyone has to be running around Paris on a Tuesday evening), and gives him the Fox Miraculous.

“Come on, Arctic,” Ladybug says the moment he’s transformed, and then they’re off.

Once they’re closer to Kagami, Ladybug says, “Arctic, can you go search for Animaestro? He’s probably nearby, since he wants my Miraculous. Alert me the moment you find him.”

“On it,” Arctic responds, then leaps away. As soon as he’s gone, Ladybug goes to Kagami.

“Kagami Tsurugi,” she starts before Kagami can speak, “I present to you the Miraculous of the Bee. With this, you will have the power of Venom from the Kwami of Subjection. Once we defeat Animaestro, you will return your Miraculous to me. Do you understand?”

“I do, Ladybug,” Kagami says, then takes the box. She opens it, then gasps as the box lights up with a yellow glow.

When the glow fades, Pollen smiles sweetly at Kagami. “Hello, my queen. I am Pollen, and I am here to serve.”

Looking at the new pair, Ladybug realizes that changing another Miraculous holder will probably cause more questioning.

This will be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! As a way to celebrate the day, I made sure to finish the next chapter in time for today! I hope you enjoy the new Bee!


	22. Partners

Chapter Twenty-Two

_ Adrien _

Staring at the screen of his phone, Adrien can only ask, “What the fuck?”

Nino just nods, eyes wide. “I  _ know _ , dude! She’s epic, right? I’m shocked someone got such good footage out like, half an hour after the fight.”

Epic. Yeah. Totally what Adrien Agreste wants to be watching while he waits for the rest of the class to come back. (And seriously? How does it take so long for his classmates to return? Has he never realized the amount of time the school allows for them all to get back to the school once it’s safe? Odd.) He absolutely, positively wants to watch Ladybug working with, get this, a new Bee.

It looks like Queen Bee’s reign is officially over, now that a new girl is buzzing around. Chloé really  _ did _ talk to Ladybug about stepping down, didn’t she?

Adrien can’t help but despise the new girl who’s taken up the heroine title. So as he watches her on screen, he can’t help but glare.

I mean, come on! What is there to like, anyways? She’s just so-

“Awesome!” Alix cheers as she walks through the door, the everyday Ladybug herself following behind. “Did you see her, Mari? She was so cool!”

He stares at the video, watching how the Bee darts around with ease, dodging the attacks from Animaestro and using her spinning top to effectively hit the Akuma with her Venom attack. 

Adrien huffs, looking away from the video. Nino looks at him with a grin.

“So, man, what do you think?”

Adrien shrugs, trying to smooth his features. “I don’t know. I just feel like the changes were all a bit...unnecessary, you get me?”

Nino shrugs. “I mean, I’m sure it sucks for the heroes who had to step down, but Ladybug’s new teammates sure do pick up fast. I’m just glad that we have people who can protect us.”

“Yeah, but the others protected us, too!” Adrien defends, upset that his best friend is accidentally insulting him.

But Nino keeps going. “True, true, but still. They’re all a lot more...serious? Yeah. The team seems more focused now, and the battles seem to be shorter. I dunno man, seems like a good idea to get an upgrade.”

Alya scoffs behind them, muttering about how Nino is wrong. Adrien agrees with the sentiment quietly. 

“I mean, Chat Noir and Ladybug were great! Nino, they’re the perfect pair. Why split them up?”

“Ladybug said Chat Noir had to resign,” Max points out. “He  _ had _ to give up the position. I doubt this was a matter of simply separating them. Chat Noir just wasn’t meant to be a hero any longer.”

“But that’s unfair! He’s done so much for Paris, why is he getting kicked off the team now?” Adrien lets his frustrations pour into his words, because he still doesn’t get it. He doesn’t understand why Fu took the ring, or why Plagg was so willing to go.

“He wasn’t meant to be a part of it, not with his attitude.” Chloé sniffs. “Now, at least, Ladybug has the partners she  _ deserves _ , instead of a mangy cat for a sidekick.”

_ Partners _ . There it is, the blow that hits Adrien in the chest. Because he was fine with the Bee’s new arrival as the video started. He was okay with it, because it meant Ladybug couldn’t work with just Arctic. Because it meant she  _ needed _ more people- and perhaps she would come to him soon, because she’d realize how wrong she was. Sticking with temporary heroes can’t cut it, it never could.

Adrien had even appreciated the heroine. She had, at the very least, the makings of a good Parisian protector. She knew how to fight with her weapon, she could deal with the stress of the battle, and she even had a good costume design (going with a mostly black ensemble, of course, spoke to the Chat Noir in him, and the flashes of yellow made the Bee seem even brighter than Chloé’s ‘in your face’ suit approach). Midway through the video, Adrien was looking forward to working with her.

Then the Akuma was cleansed, and everything went back to normal. Ladybug, after checking on the victim, had taken the Bee over to the reporter.

“ _ This is Belle Abeille, _ ” Ladybug introduced the girl simply, and Belle Abeille had merely nodded in greeting before hopping off.

And then everything went wrong. Because Ladybug  _ didn’t follow her. _

And then Arctic Fox went a different way, and once again, Ladybug remained. And she spoke of how “Chat Noir could no longer keep his position, and as such no longer has the Miraculous and will not be fighting alongside me.”

And then she smiled at the camera and left. That was it.

The video looped, and now Adrien is here, thoughts looping as well. Because Ladybug let them leave without following. She let them leave  _ with their Miraculi _ .

She let them keep the Miraculi. She let them become permanent heroes. She’s never done that, and now- now that’s changed? Because Chat Noir is gone, forcibly removed from his rightful position as her partner? 

It’s unfair. It’s unbelievable. It’s-

“I just think it’s weird, how many changes are happening so quickly,” Mylène says, forcing Adrien out of his thoughts. “We had the same heroes for so long, isn’t it odd that they’re all suddenly being removed or replaced?”

“Maybe they all were involved in something that Ladybug couldn’t ignore? Maybe they did something bad?” Sabrina suggests timidly. 

Alya’s icy gaze snaps to the redhead. “Are you implying that I did something that would make Ladybug revoke my Miraculous?”

“Again, that’s assuming you’re  _ actually _ the past Rena Rouge,” Chloé starts. “Which I doubt, because  _ you _ being a hero is a ridiculous idea.”

“I’ll have you know I-”

“But anyways, since you asked: yes. You  _ absolutely _ failed at being a heroine the moment you believed Rossi over Dupain-Cheng. I mean, come  _ on _ , it doesn’t take more than two brain cells to know that Dupain-Cheng is literally sugary sweet personified. I honestly doubt that she could be a hero, either, because she’s just so awful at standing up to anyone but me. But of the two of you, she’s still better. Because if the situation was flipped, I  _ know _ Dupain-Cheng would have looked into the problem and asked for your side. And I  _ know _ Dupain-Cheng would have helped you take Rossi down. But you never did that, huh? No, you spread lies instead. You called Dupain-Cheng jealous, and you blasted Rossi’s stories all over your stupid little blog. How’s that doing, by the way? Not such a hotshot, now that Ladybug called you out. So, really, why  _ would _ you be Rena Rouge? And if you ever were, why would you  _ ever _ get it back?”

Adrien steps forward. “Chloé, that was uncalled for. You shouldn’t-”

“Be honest?” Chloé snorts. “Adrikins, stop your rant right now, because I don’t need to hear it. Little miss Ladyblog, however, definitely needed a reality check.”

Disappointed in her, Adrien looks away. He really needs to talk to her. Doesn’t he see how upset Alya is? She says she was Rena, and she wouldn’t lie like Lila, right? Of course not, so calling her a liar must hurt the girl. After all, because of a liar…

Adrien looks at Marinette, who sits silently beside Nathaniel. The two are drawing together, pencils working around each other’s hands seamlessly. They seem relaxed, uncaring of the world around them. Uncaring of the mess the class has become.

Adrien frowns at the sight, and Marinette looks up as if on cue. She looks unimpressed, eyes scanning the classroom before she looks back to the paper. After a moment, the bluenette giggles at whatever the two have drawn. Nathaniel seems pleased.

How can they be so happy? How can they be so calm when the class is a mess and Paris’s heroes are being swapped out for sloppy seconds? How can they be so carefree and joyful and,  _ and _ .

Peaceful. How is Marinette so...not the Marinette he remembers. How is she so calm and relaxed and underwhelmed by the world. It doesn’t make sense, nothing makes sense. Around him, Marinette had always had a smile and that cute blush of hers. She’d always gone out of her way to greet him, even if she stumbled over her words (and her feet). She’d always trusted him, and they’d been rather good friends.

Now she stays away, and her nerves are gone. And now Adrien doesn’t know why Marinette was nervous.

He feels the need to ask. He needs to know at least this, in the midst of all the questions in his life.

Miss Bustier walks into the classroom. Adrien looks to Nino.

“Hey, Nino,” Adrien whispers as the class leaves the topic to get back on track.

“Yeah bro?”

“Why was Marinette always so nervous around me? What changed?”

Nino snorts, and Adrien thinks that he mutters, “She got over you.”

He has...more questions. And even less answers than he thought possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of Adrien's view to spice up your day. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!


	23. A New Student

Chapter Twenty-Three

Marinette is humming Kitty Section’s newest song on her way to school Wednesday morning, and everything feels right. She’s happy, content with what’s going on in her life. Sure, she’s had some problems (losing Alya, realizing Adrien was an awful person to crush on, and having to lose her whole team), but there have been upsides, too! Some of her friendships are back and growing nicely, she’s befriended Kagami and gotten closer to Luka, and her new team is quickly shaping up to be a great one. With Belle Abeille and Arctic Fox by her sides, Marinette knows that they can only succeed from here on out.

But her good mood is halted when a familiar blond calls her name.

“Marinette!” Adrien shouts again, jogging up to her as she turns, standing right in front of the steps of the school.

“Yes, Adrien?” She asks, and she’s surprised to see how...nervous Adrien seems to be.

Honestly, Marinette isn’t sure what he’s about to say, but she doesn’t expect, “What happened between us?”

“Huh?” It’s not really a great reply, but  _ seriously _ , what does he mean?!

Adrien rubs the back of his neck, then smiles awkwardly. “Well, we used to talk all the time! And you always stuttered and smiled and all but now...now you don’t talk to me. And you don’t get all...nervous? Did something happen?”

Marinette snorts. Of all things,  _ this _ is what Adrien is thinking?

Whatever. Fine. She’ll tell him, if that’s what he wants.

“Adrien, I was in love with you.” Adrien’s eyes widen from the words, but Marinette just continues on. “I was hopelessly, stupidly head over heels for you from the moment you gave me that umbrella of yours. But a lot has changed. I realized something. Do you know what that is?”

Adrien shakes his head slowly.

“I realized that you aren’t the kind of guy I want to date. When you knew Lila was lying, you  _ never _ stood up for me. You chose Lila’s feelings over mine. You  _ always _ choose the bully over the victim. Adrien, in your attempts to make a happy, perfect class for yourself, you enable tormentors and push aside the feelings of those who have been hurt. You pushed me away, and then got  _ mad _ at me for exposing Lila. Do you even realize how much she’s hurt everyone? Do you know how much  _ I’ve  _ been hurt?” Marinette looks away from the blond. “I doubt it, Adrien. I doubt you know, because you never asked.”

“I did!” Adrien blurts, eyes narrowing. “I checked up on you, but you wouldn’t tell me anything! You shut me out- literally! It’s not my fault you refused to let me in, princess.”

“When did you-” Marinette freezes. She stares at Adrien with wide eyes, and watches the way he stiffens, looking back at her with the same fear. 

Slowly, Marinette lets her eyes travel down until she’s looking at his hand. His...oddly bare hand.

“Adrien,” the word barely gets out, “ _ where is your ring _ ?”

Adrien clutches his hand to his chest, looking down. “It was taken.”

She can feel a headache forming from the nonsense around her. Of  _ course _ . Of course this is how she finds out, how the reveal goes down.

“You were Chat Noir,” Marinette hisses out, and Adrien flinches. "You were Chat Noir, and  _ this _ is how you acted as a civilian? I thought you were supposed to be a hero.” Any pity she felt when losing her once beloved partner dries up as she stares at the blond. “I can see why your Miraculous was taken. You failed, Adrien. You  _ failed _ .” And she doesn’t feel bad, walking away.

Walking into the locker room, Marinette is greeted by Kagami and Luka. She lets them lead her to her classroom, where the three talk until the bell rings. She ignores Adrien, who slips into his seat and rests his head on his arms. She doesn’t pay attention to how Nino offers his headphones in comfort, trying to help his bro. She doesn’t care about Alya’s quiet fuming. She just revels in the joy that she finds by talking to her two closest friends.

And then the day changes, because when the bell rings, Miss Bustier walks up to the podium. She clears her throat, and the class quiets down. 

“Class, I’d like to introduce you to a new student.” As she says the words, she waves in a boy. He has slicked back blond hair, icy blue-gray eyes, and the coldest demeanor Marinette has ever seen.

He looks up, and seems unimpressed with the class. He seems unapproachable and distant.

And yet, Marinette finds herself intrigued. She wants to know the boy better, see what he’s like beyond the expression.

The boy clears his throat, and speaks. “Hello. My name is Félix Agreste. It’s...nice to meet you all.” Then he looks to Miss Bustier, and asks, “Where would you prefer I sit?”

Miss Bustier blinks, then says, “Well, where would you like to be?” (It looks like Miss Bustier has learned her lesson, at least!)

“The back, if that’s quite alright. Although it seems those seats are preoccupied.”

“Marinette can sit up front with me!” Alya suggests quickly, and Marinette cringes back into her seat. She’d rather not give up her spot, thank you very much.

And Félix can see her distaste clearly. Eyeing Alya, he says, “Thank you for volunteering for  _ someone else _ , but I doubt Miss Marinette wants to move. She seems quite content in the back.”

Nathaniel clears his throat and raises his hand slowly. “I...I can move up. Félix can have my spot, if he wants.”

Miss Bustier beams. “Thank you, Nathaniel, but where will you sit?”

“He can sit by Alix!” Mylène offers. “I want to sit with Ivan, anyways!” 

Alix nods enthusiastically. “Yeah! Nathaniel and I are great friends, I’m happy to be desk partners with him.”

Miss Bustier nods. “Alright, then Félix, you may sit beside Marinette in the back.” 

“Thank you,” Félix says, and heads to the back to sit beside Marinette, who watches as the new arrangements are formed. 

It’s...nice, seeing how her classmates offered to change seats to help a new student. It’s like what they did for Lila, but this time everyone agreed.

Marinette smiles, and feels proud of those who changed seats. 

Alix and Nathaniel look back at her and smile, and Marinette feels even better.

So, yeah. Things are still looking up. 

Her Ladybug luck is  _ definitely  _ shining through. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here he is! The one, the only, the amazing Félix Agreste! 
> 
> Now, before anyone comments on how I'm wrong, or that I should be calling him by the name he's given in the show, I'd like to say something:
> 
> I had this planned *long* before the Félix episode aired. And, to be frank, I love the Félix that the community came up with, and I'd like to work with that one. While the show's version was rather interesting, this is the one I've been dying to write about, and had to wait over twenty chapters to include!!!
> 
> With that said, what do you guys think? Do you want Félix to be a minor character, or have more involvement in Marinette's life? Do you like him, or think he's just a boring Adrien?
> 
> Leave your thoughts in the comments, and until next time! <3


	24. A New Friend

Chapter Twenty-Four

_ Félix _

She’s...quiet. 

That’s Félix’s first impression of Marinette Dupain-Cheng. From the moment he walks into the classroom, she doesn’t say a single word. When he moves to sit beside her, she simply smiles before pulling out her tablet, ready to start the school day. Even as the others send curious glances and inquisitive stares his way, Marinette simply sits beside him and works. 

She’s hesitant.

The realization is an easier one, seen from when the ombre-haired girl tries to give Marinette’s seat up for her. He’d quickly spotted the way Marinette shrank back, trying to hide in her seat. And yet she didn’t speak up for herself. The redhead, Nathaniel, had offered his seat after Félix had commented on how Marinette deserved to choose for herself.

She’s been hurt. 

It’s hidden in the way her eyes shine when he calls out the girl in the front. It shows when she shies away from him as he sits. It shows in the way she opens her mouth to greet him...then closes it. 

It’s clear when she smiles at Nathaniel and the girl beside him, Alix, before the lesson, and relaxes. It’s obvious when his cousin looks back, and all she can do is freeze. She freezes, and then she starts to shake, something overcoming her as she rubs at her eyes. She tries to hide it, tries to hide whatever emotions she’s feeling.

Félix isn’t an emotional person. He’s not one to care about his peers or their drama. He never has, and coming to this school hasn’t changed him.

He slips her a tissue without a word. Marinette looks up with wide, tear-filled eyes, and then she gives him the shakiest smile he’s ever seen.

He looks away.

First period goes by quickly enough, and then there’s a break. Marinette, by then, has calmed down, so when some of their classmates turn around, nobody notices how red her eyes are.

She hides them by drawing in her sketchbook, he notices.

“So, another Agreste?” Alix asks curiously. “Adrien’s never mentioned you!”

The blond in question looks up. He looks like a mess, but in seconds he’s fixing his expression, presenting a perfect image. He’s sloppy, but the class doesn’t seem to be too observant. 

“We never have time to hang out,” Adrien explains. “I always have photoshoots, and Félix is always working with his mother.”

“What do you do?” The blonde, he believes her name is Rose, asks curiously. “Are you a model, too?”

Félix shrugs, accepting that it’s best to answer a few questions for now. He  _ did _ promise that he’d try to be nice, didn’t he? “I have done a few photoshoots here and there, but I’m more interested in the business side of my mother’s company. She focuses more on women’s fashion, too.”

Rose gasps. “That’s amazing! So, do Agreste men just have fashion running through their blood?”

“It’s in their  _ jeans _ ,” Marinette mutters under her breath with a monotone voice. Félix can’t help but smile, a small laugh escaping him. 

“Agreste siblings, perhaps. My mother is Gabriel's sibling, not my father.”

Here it comes.

“Why are you going under her last name, then?” Kim asks.

“Do you know what divorce is?” Félix responds immediately. Kim winces and quiets down.

Nino pipes up from beside Adrien. “Hey, we have a whole business group right here, then!”

Félix doesn’t understand. “What do you mean?”

“You’re the business man, Adrien is the model boy, and Nette is the fashion designer. Between the three of you, you could take over the fashion world.”

Adrien shrinks in on himself when Nino mentions Marinette. Ah, so something has definitely happened between the two. Félix makes a note of this, deciding that perhaps he will ask about this later, usual habit of avoiding drama forgotten. 

Marinette shakes her head from beside Félix, pulling his attention to her. “I- I’m not  _ that  _ good, I-”

Juleka, suddenly, is behind Marinette, smiling softly. “Marinette, you’re  _ amazing. _ Just look at the costumes you made for our band.”

“Yeah, those were  _ amazing _ !” Rose agrees, and she lifts her phone. “And I’m sure Luka will agree!”

The bell rings, class resumes.

Félix notes the blush on Marinette’s face. It appears that this Luka is special to her.

Classes pass. It’s lunch soon enough.

Two people, a boy with a guitar and a short-haired girl, are by Marinette’s side less than half a minute after the lunch bell rings. They smile at Félix and introduce themselves- Luka and Kagami. 

It’s at this moment that Marinette speaks to him specifically for the first time.

“Want to join us for lunch, Félix?” Marinette asks. 

Félix takes in the group of three, then looks to his classmates, who are still heading down the hall. He sees his cousin, who looks back to him.

“That sounds pleasant,” Félix says, and that’s how he ends up going to Marinette’s house for lunch.

It  _ is _ pleasant. Marinette’s parents are welcoming, yet not overbearing. (Not completely, as Mrs. Cheng has to hold her husband back from pulling him into a hug.) The food is well made, the pastries after are wonderful.

And Marinette and her friends are excellent company. They ask him a few questions, but they’re not invasive. They ask the questions no one else does.

“Do you have any allergies?” Marinette asks with wide eyes. “I want to make sure you don’t eat anything that’ll hurt you.”

Félix feels...warm, as he politely calms her, telling her that he has none.

“What do you like to do?” They all seem interested in the response, so he tells them. 

“I like to write.” It’s a simple answer, but they take it. They don’t push for more answers, which is nice. Félix doesn’t feel like explaining his writing, not today. He doesn’t usually talk about it, anyways. 

He finds out about them. Kagami is a fencer, Luka a guitarist, Marinette dreams of being a designer.

“She made her clothes!” Kagami boasts, and that catches Félix’s attention.

“It’s not a big deal!” Marinette says, blushing. “I just wanted certain colors and designs and no one else made them so I decided that I would and-”

“They’re well made.” Félix decides. 

“I- uh, thanks!” She takes a bite of a cookie to avoid responding further. 

She’s the most easily embarrassed of the three. Kagami is blunt and straightforward, striding ahead. Luka is calm and levelheaded, taking everything in stride. Marinette is clumsy and modest, falling over her strides and stumbling. Luckily, her friends are there to catch her and lift her up. (According to one part of their conversation, that can be taken quite literally. Apparently Luka has lifted Marinette while ice skating.)

Félix is drawn to the group. He enjoys talking with them. He wants to continue talking with them.

So when lunch ends and Félix is getting ready to go home, and Marinette says, “You’re welcome to join us anytime!”

He says, “I’d be happy to.”

Because this is new. Because he’s never been so  _ comfortable _ and accepted for himself than he is with these three people, and he’s been to at least half a dozen schools and homeschooled.

Yes, Félix looks forward to the time he will spend with Marinette and her friends. 


	25. A Change in Heart

Chapter Twenty-Five

_ Nino _

Life is normal. Okay, no. Life is the new normal, which means the class has some weird tension from Lila still running through the room like an invisible divider, he’s single and Alya refuses to talk to him, and his best bro is moping constantly. Oh, and let’s not forget Marinette barely talks to the class anymore, hangs out with her former love rival and her (past?) crush, and her newest friend is Adrien’s cousin who  _ he’s never even talked about _ .

Yeah, normal. Nino guesses that it’s a good thing he can’t be Carapace anymore, because that means there’s one less thing to stress about. Totally a good thing. 

Okay, no. The last few weeks have sucked, this whole month has sucked, and not being Carapace anymore sucks, too. But Nino gets it. After everything with Lila, after Nino turned on Nette (seriously, he turned on  _ Nette _ !), he can see why he lost the privilege. He wouldn’t trust himself with a Miraculous, if he was so unheroic in his normal life.

He’s going to miss Wayzz, that’s for sure. The little guy was so chill, they even made a fist bump together! But if Ladybug decides to find a better Turtle, good on her. He just hopes the little dude is fine with that. Or that he can get his act together and prove himself worthy of helping Ladybug.

But he knows, for now at least, he’s far from that. Becoming a hero again, earning Ladybug’s trust, might be harder than earning Marinette’s trust. And Marinette is the one who was hurt by everything!

Yet she forgave him immediately when he came to her house on Sunday. He was there to pick up some pastries for his family, well, that was his excuse, but he just...he had to apologize. He was too nervous at school, too worried about Alya’s comments and false beliefs about friendships. He was afraid of angering his girlfriend,  <strike> and look where that got him </strike> , so he never spoke up in class. 

Sunday was a mess of emotions. Sunday was Nino going into the shop, nerves buzzing within him. Sunday was Nino seeing Marinette and smiling awkwardly, and Marinette returning the motion from the front counter. Sunday was Nino getting to the front of the line, and Marinette asking, “What would you like?” and Nino responding with, “A moment of your time.. if that’s okay?” Sunday was Marinette taking a break, bringing Nino upstairs with croissants and sitting down on the couch. Sunday was Nino remembering their childhood friendship, and regretting his mistakes. Sunday was Nino choking on sobs as he admitted his mistakes to Marinette, admitted everything. No secrets stayed off of his lips. He apologized for doubting her, apologized for failing to be a hero, apologized for trusting his girlfriend and a liar over the girl he’d practically been born beside. 

And Marinette comforted him. Because Marinette never changed, and she was as good and kind and sweet as she always had been. She forgave him, she consoled him as he admitted that he  _ was  _ Carapace and that he failed as a hero, that he knows the reason he was removed from the team was because of how he treated her. She offered him tissues and kind words as he promised that he’d be a better friend, that he’d try his best to redeem himself.

And when he went to leave, Marinette said that she believed in him. She believed that he was Carapace, and that he could be a hero again, in or out of the mask. She believed that they’d be great friends again. She believed that, in due time, all would be right with the world.

Nino believed her. 

He still does. Life may be awful right now, life may suck a  _ lot _ , but he’s done one thing right. He’s got his friend back. He’s got Nette’s forgiveness, and he’s got a promise to himself. He  _ will _ be better, and things  _ will _ get better.

That doesn’t change the current moment. Nino’s optimism only goes so far. He’s a realist, and he gets it. Life sucks sometimes, and now is part of the ‘sometimes.’ Having an angry ex behind him and a depressed best friend beside him doesn’t really encourage more optimism.

Speaking of his bro, Nino is getting worried. Ever since the whole Lila-is-a-liar thing was exposed, Adrien has been odd. The first week was understandable, the boy was confused about how to deal with problems (seriously, Mr. Agreste  _ sucks _ ), and didn’t get that Marinette was upset that he’d brushed off her feelings. But after that, Adrien only got worse. He was constantly moping around, upset and trying to hide from the world. He looked sleep deprived and heartbroken, constantly fidgeting with his hand and muttering to himself. Then, just this Tuesday, Adrien asked Nino about Nette. He’d finally noticed that she wasn’t so jumpy around him. Nino had snorted, knowing that she’d moved on. He made a comment about it, and the next day (was that really only yesterday?) Adrien went to talk to her before class. Nino saw this and left them alone, assuming Adrien was going to apologize or something. He was proud of his friend, and figured, soon, their friendship would mend. And who knew? Maybe Nette would fall for Adrien again. 

But Marinette came into the room, and she looked  _ pissed _ . Nino had been shocked by the look, not used to such an expression. When Adrien came in soon after, looking like a kicked puppy, Nino was lost but resolved to comfort his bro.

Then Félix walked into the room. Félix Agreste, the cousin that, once again, Adrien has never mentioned! And Adrien didn’t look happy to see his cousin, in fact he looked rather annoyed. And that annoyance only grew when Félix sat next to Nette in the back.

Bad blood, maybe? Nino isn’t sure, but he’ll ask Adrien later.

The bell rings for lunch. Nino supposes that ‘now’ is a good enough later, and pulls Adrien out of his seat. Adrien stumbles, and Nino feels kind of bad.

“Come on, bro,” Nino says. “Let’s go get some food. I found this cool place down the block-”

Adrien, for his part, brushes off Nino’s grip. “Sorry, Nino, I have to talk to Félix.” He shoots Nino a smile, and Nino can tell it’s his stupid model one that his stupid father trained into him. “Maybe tomorrow?”

Normally, Nino would nod and agree. Normally, Nino would be okay with it. But Nino sees Félix, and Félix is following Nette out of the room. They’re talking, and Nette is  _ beaming _ . 

She doesn’t beam as much anymore. Not in class. Not unless Luka or Kagami, or maybe one of the other Kitty Section members, are around. Smiles, sure, Marinette smiles plenty. But beaming? Hell no.

So Nino grabs Adrien again, and says, “Adrien, Félix is busy. Come on.”

And Adrien follows. He lets Nino lead him to the tiny patisserie down the block, the one that isn’t as good as Tom & Sabine’s but still has some good stuff, and they sit down after buying some treats. 

Adrien, for one, fidgets with his finger. It’s an odd habit, and Nino wonders why Adrien stopped wearing his ring. Maybe he’ll bug him about that next. But first…

“Are you alright?” He winces. That was a bit blunt, wasn’t it? Oh well, too late now. 

Adrien shrugs, shoving that grin back on his face. “Yeah, just tired. Everything is kind of draining, you know?”

“The whole class thing? Yeah.” Nino sighs, looking out the window. “I wish Alya would talk to me, but c’est la vie, yeah?”

Adrien frowns. “How are you so calm about it?”

“Huh?”

“Shouldn’t you be upset? She broke up with you!” 

He has a point, but, “I am upset.”

“You are?”

Nino snorts. “Yeah? Dude, break ups  _ suck _ . But I’m not going to shove my feelings in everyone’s face. I’m like you, I guess. Just a bit less modely.”

“What do you mean?” Nino sees how Adrien stiffens, shoulders squaring as he tries to hide his feelings once again.

“You put on your model smile, I just...I dunno. I try not to focus on it, y'know? It’s easier to look on the bright side. Things suck, but hey, Nette is talking to me again! And while it hurts that Alya dumped me because I wouldn’t defend her whole Rena Rouge spiel, at least I’m not with someone who refuses to see reality? I dunno, maybe it’s a blessing in disguise?” He doesn’t fully believe it, but hey, maybe he’s right. “What good does it do to spend all my time focusing on it, anyways? It’s in the past, there’s no second chance to change what has already happened.”

Adrien shrugs. “I suppose.” His smile is smaller, but a bit more genuine. “I guess you’re right, Nino. There are no second chances in life, huh?”

Nino shakes his head. “No, that’s not quite it, bro. There’s no changing the past, but there’s always a chance to change. Like with Nette. I could give up and accept that I messed up, or I can try to change and be better. I choose to change. That’s a second chance.”

Adrien hums, then his eyes widen. “You...you’re right. There  _ is _ a second chance with Mari.” His smile turns fond, and he says, “Thanks, Nino.”

“No prob.” But he’s not quite sure what he did.

Eh. At least he made someone happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonjour, mes amants! I wanted to post this for Christmas, but some family arrived unexpectedly and I had to delay til the next day! I hope that you all enjoy this chapter, and I wish you all a blessed and joyous end to the year. 
> 
> See you in 2020 <3


	26. Motivation

Chapter Twenty-Six

Kagami likes her new outfit. That’s how Marinette knows it’s a good day.

Somehow, among Akuma battles, homework, and just life in general, she was finally able to finish it and present it to her friend. 

Kagami changed into it immediately, proud to have a ‘Marinette original.’ 

Marinette blushes as Kagami twirls around, showing off Marinette’s design for Kitty Section. 

“What do you think?” Marinette asks, and her friends are quick to praise her.

“The skort makes this much more functional than my usual outfit,” Kagami says, “and I love the gold embroidery.”

“I had a spark of inspiration,” Marinette responds, glancing at Kagami’s hair. The bee comb is neatly tucked in, hiding its design from sight. 

She’s proud of the final product, that’s for sure. The skort is black with gold trim, and the shirt is a bold red with a small gold bee stitched into the left breast. Simple, but clearly Kagami, even if the others don’t know the reason for the stitching.

“I love the little bee!” Rose squeals. “But why not a dragon, or something stronger?”

“A bee is underestimated,” Marinette replies smoothly, her (rather honest, if she’s being truthful) excuse coming out flawlessly. “Because it’s small and adorable. But it’s strong enough to be feared. Yet, if you treat it with kindness, then there’s no reason to worry.”

Kagami blushes at Marinette’s words. “If anything, Marinette, you are the bee. Heaven knows how adorable  _ you _ are.”

Oh. Oh.

Marinette blushes and moves to change the subject.

She doesn’t get the chance.

“Good morning, everyone,” Félix greets. 

“Hey,” Luka greets, then gestures towards Kagami. “What do you think of this outfit?”

Félix hums. “It looks well made. Whoever designed it did an excellent job.” He sees Marinette reddening, and asks, “Marinette, are you feeling alright?”

“She made my outfit,” Kagami responds, voice sly. 

Félix smiles. “Ah. Well, I meant what I said.” 

The bell rings, reminding the students that, yes, they are there to go to class. Marinette and Félix head to Miss Bustier’s class together. Neither are aware of how Adrien watches them as they go, eyes following the bluenette. They don’t pay any attention to the blond as he approaches them, instead making their way to the back.

To be honest, they didn’t even know he was there. Well, Marinette didn’t. Félix didn’t care about his cousin’s actions. 

Class is fine. Miss Bustier keeps the class on track, and apparently everyone is excited for the weekend, as there’s no sudden Akuma attacks. For once, the class is able to have a normal day of school.

Lunch, too, is calm. Marinette is swept away by Félix, Ivan, Rose, and Juleka the second the bell rings, and they meet up with Kagami and Luka at the entrance before heading to a nearby café. The group of seven eat and talk about their day and their plans for the upcoming weekend.

“I’m so excited!” Rose squeals. “Bob Roth is announcing the winners for the competition tomorrow at noon!”

Marinette beams. “I can’t wait to see! I’m sure you guys won, your song was amazing.”

“And the costumes were phenomenal,” Luka praises immediately, smiling to Marinette. “There’s no way we could lose with our own lucky charm creating a whole  _ set _ of Marinette originals.”

Marinette giggles, the nickname making her blush.

Félix smiles, amused. “Marinette, just how much  _ do _ you design?” He holds up his hand, counting off of his fingers. “You designed your own clothes, you made Kagami’s outfit, you created costumes for their band. What else do you do that I have yet to hear?”

“Ooh! She made Jagged’s glasses!” Rose pipes up.

“And his CD cover,” Kagami adds with a nod.

“She won your uncle’s hat competition,” Juleka says quietly.

Félix smiles. “That’s quite an impressive portfolio for our age. You’re going far, Marinette.”

Marinette was a blushing mess the rest of lunch, but everything was fine.

Things even seem to be looking up with a certain ex-hero when she returns to school. Adrien waves to her when she passes, an awkward smile on his lips. She’s not quite sure what it means, but she waves back. 

When class ends, Adrien comes up to her.

“Can...can we talk?” He asks timidly. Marinette looks to Félix, who pointedly takes his time to pack his bag.

“Sure,” Marinette agrees, then smiles to Félix. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“Until then, Marinette,” he responds, then walks away.

Adrien leads her to the roof, and they sit up there in silence for a moment. It only takes a few minutes before Adrien speaks up.

“I’ve messed up, haven’t I?” He asks softly. He glances over at her, and his eyes shine with melancholy as he hugs his legs. “I’ve...I’ve messed up.”

Marinette nods. “You have.”

He laughs, it bubbles out, watery and hopeless. “I let you face Lila alone. I let you put up with all of that, and never even noticed how awful she was. I was supposed to protect you, I was supposed to be your  _ knight _ .” He sighs, chin resting on his knees. “I get what you mean. I get why the ring was taken. If I couldn’t protect you, how could I protect Paris?”

Marinette hums. “I’m sure you could have been fine, ignoring my problems and just focusing on Paris. But your failure to help me isn’t what led to your ring being taken, I bet.”

Adrien looks to her with  _ something _ in his eyes. “But what could be a bigger mistake? Princess, I’d never forgive myself if you got hurt- I’ll never forgive myself for hurting you.”

A few weeks ago, hearing those words leaving his mouth would have left Marinette over the moon, squealing and dancing and fantasizing over having three kids and a hamster. Now she just smiles awkwardly.

“Adrien, that’s sweet...but there’s more to the world than just me. You messed up when you put your own feelings over Ladybug’s. I’ve seen your tantrums as Chat Noir. I understand that you were in love, but being rejected isn’t an excuse to abandon Paris out of anger.”

Adrien flinches. “I...I see. I’ve heard the class. Was it...was I really harassing her?”

Marinette nods, and he sighs.

“I’m trying to move on.” He looks to the sky, and misses the shock on Marinette’s face. “All I’ve heard is how awful I’ve been, how my attempts to woo her were unwanted and messed up. I think it’s time I change targets.” He looks to her, and Marinette tries to process his words.

“That...that sounds like a plan?” She winces, that sounds awkward. But how  _ is _ she supposed to respond, hearing that her ex-crush who was actually lowkey but actually highkey harassing her for her love is trying to change. “Are you sure that falling for another girl is the right option, though?”

He smiles. “Yeah. I think I’ll do better, now that I know what’s  _ not _ good. What,” he blushes, “what made you fall for me?”

“What?”

“What made you fall for me? Maybe, if I do more of what made you like me, I’ll be better.”

That...kind of makes sense? 

(Something feels odd.)

“Well, I fell for your kindness,” Marinette admits, staring out at the courtyard. She doesn’t see how Adrien searches her face, analyzes her expression for each minute feature. “I fell for your willingness to look past my cruelty and help me out, even when I’d done nothing to deserve it. I fell for your politeness. I fell for the boy behind the mask, who deserved a chance to be sad instead of having to paste on a smile. I fell for what I thought I saw.” She sighs. “But who knows, Adrien, your kindness may have been you being a pushover, and trying to create a fantasy. How am I to know anymore?”

Adrien reaches out and takes her hand. Before, Marinette would be elated. If he’d worn the mask just last week, she would have pulled away. Now she sits here, feeling nothing. “I’ll prove it to you, Marinette, that I’m that person still.” He leans down, almost as if he’s going for a kiss, then pulls away instead. As if he remembered himself. Smiling, he stands up, pulling her up, too. “I have to go. But thank you, princess. I promise, I’ll be better. For you.”

As he walks away, Marinette wonders if he needs a better motive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's a better way to start the new year than to upload a new chapter? I hope you all have a wonderful day, to start a wonderful decade to come! <3


	27. Silencer

Chapter Twenty-Seven

_ Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. _

Marinette lets her fingers drum against the desk, eyes locked on the clock. She can’t help but fidget in her seat, anxious to get out of the class. Beside her, Félix watches on in amusement, a light smile on his lips. 

Marinette nearly jumps out of her seat when the blond rests his hand on hers.

“Two minutes, Marinette,” Félix whispers, and Marinette blushes. “Then you can meet up with the band and find out the results.”

Marinette nods, eyes darting to meet Juleka’s, who smiles back, nervous. 

Two minutes take a century to pass, and Marinette feels ready to combust when, at  _ last _ , the bell rings. Marinette leaps up, banging into the desk. 

“Ouch!” Marinette yelps, but pays the new injury no mind, instead turning to pack up her bag.

The second the zipper is shut, she’s being dragged away by Rose. Marinette barely remembers to wave goodbye to Félix.

“Have fun helping your mother, Félix!” Marinette shouts, and Félix nods. Then he’s out of sight, as Marinette is pulled out of the room completely.

“Oh, I’m so excited!” Rose shouts. “Bob Roth is going to be on TVi at noon to announce the results, and Alec is hosting! He’s so cool!”

Luka is waiting for them at the entrance, fingers already racing along the strings of his guitar. “So, we’ve got a bit until the announcement is made.” He straps the guitar to his back. “Want to go get some food?”

The group agrees quickly, ready for lunch.

“Where to?” Juleka asks.

“My place?” Marinette points across the street, and the band members quickly agree, eager to eat. 

Her mother is busy at the front when Marinette leads her friends in, barely having enough time to say hello before turning to the next customer. Marinette slips upstairs, taking some pastries with her.

She has a feeling that no one is really up to eating much.

She’s right. The moment they reach the kitchen, Rose is itching to keep moving.

“Why don’t we go to your room, Marinette?” Rose asks, and Marinette agrees. They make their way up, and quickly find themselves lounging on her furniture. Her computer is on, Alec’s voice playing in the background. The minutes tick, tick, tick-

“And here we are live, showing off XY’s newest hit!” Alec announces, and all eyes swing to the screen.

“But I thought they were announcing a winner?” Ivan mutters, and everyone starts to agree. Everyone falls silent, however, when XY walks into the camera’s view.

It’s atrocious. Marinette can’t lie, can’t even  _ try _ to excuse the amalgamation before her. The blond star wears  _ cardboard boxes _ for a costume, and that mask is just a poor excuse of a-

Wait.

“That’s  _ your  _ design!” Luka shouts, eyes narrowing at the boy on screen, and he’s right. The mask is a crude imitation of the unicorn-tiger theme Kitty Section’s costumes had, and the shoulder guards are a direct, albeit cheaper, parallel. And the music…

“That’s your melody!” Marinette protests. “And your lyrics! We can’t let XY get away with this!”

And that’s how Sabine Cheng finds five angry teenagers storming out of her house, only fifteen minutes after they arrived. 

By the time Marinette is in front of TVi station, she’s positively  _ fuming _ . How  _ dare _ XY claim that that’s his music, and how could Bob Roth, his father, let him?! How dare they mess with her friends, with her fox-

Marinette reminds herself to stay calm as she walks up to the bodyguards. 

“Names and reason of entry,” one man says, peering down at her with annoyance. Marinette forces herself to speak calmly.

“Marinette and Kitty Section, the creators of the song XY just sang.” Marinette bites out, pointing to a nearby screen that broadcasts XY’s boasts, as he and his father claim that XY came up with his song in five minutes. Seriously? Five minutes?!

The guards look at her oddly. “Sorry, kid, but you need a pass to get in. We haven’t heard of any ‘Marinette and Kitty Section’s coming in.” 

Marinette huffs, stomping away with the others. 

‘ _ You have to calm down, Marinette, _ ’ she scolds herself in her head. ‘ _ If not, you’ll end up as an Akuma and then there won’t be a Ladybug to save the day ...wait. _ ’

Glancing to the side, Marinette sees Luka’s home, The Liberty, docked a few minutes away.

“Hey, Luka?” She asks, a smile inching across her face. “Do you have any cardboard at home?”

“Yeah?”

“I have a plan.”

\-----

“I can’t believe that worked. Wait, yes I can.” Luka snickers as they race through the news station, searching for the right room. 

Marinette can understand his amusement, at least. To be honest, she hadn’t been sure if the guards would fall for her cardboard Akuma (and they hadn’t), but hey, at least it was distracting!

Their laughter fades away as they hear XY’s voice. Marinette takes a deep breath, summoning her courage, then slams the door open.

“And we’ll finish up this stunning story after the break!” Alec finishes, and the cameraman gives a thumbs up. Alec turns to XY and Bob Roth. “You two have ten minutes, and then we’ll be back on air! I can’t wait to hear of your inspiration for this song, XY!”

“It was us!” Marinette shouts, marching forwards. “They stole our music!”

“Us? Steal  _ your _ music?” Bob Roth snorts. “How could that be? I’ve never met you in my life, little shrimp.”

“You had a contest! We submitted our video to you, and you, you-” She throws her arms in the air with a yell. “You  _ plagiarized  _ us!”

Bob laughs. “Oh, that’s just delightful to hear, but we never had a contest.”

“Oh yeah?” Marinette pulls up the video, hands shaking as she hits play. “Then how do you explain the similarities? The matching song, the music, the  _ costumes _ -”

“Please. They’re not similar at all. XY uses a computer, you use instruments. XY has a good design, those are trash. XY is an independent star, you kids look like a group of amateurs.”

“Come on, Marinette, let’s just go.” Luka puts a hand on her shoulder, frowning softly. “There’s no winning with a guy like him.”

Marinette frowns, looking up to her friend. He shrugs, defeated, and she sighs. Sadly, she turns and follows his lead.

“Yeah, go on!” Bob laughs, making a shooing motion. “Quit wasting your time. Even if we  _ did _ copy, you’d never be able to prove it.”

Marinette stops, all of her anger rushing back in. “Oh, I  _ can’t _ ?” She stomps right up to Bob Roth, head boiling with rage. “What’s stopping me from going on air and showing all of Paris the truth? What’s stopping me from playing this video for  _ everyone _ to see, huh?” Smirking at the shock on Bob’s face, Marinette moves to the camera.

She doesn’t expect an arm to yank her back, or to be forced back around. Bob glares down at her. “Now listen here, you little  _ brat _ . If you even try that, you’ll get nowhere. I  _ own _ the music industry, you’re just some little wannabe. Who will they believe, huh? And who will want your little friends when the world thinks they’re a bunch of copycats? Who will want  _ you _ to design after I’m done?”

“Let. Her. Go.” XY’s voice rings out, as annoying as ever. Marinette glances back, surprised to hear him speak up for her.

But it’s not XY. Instead, Marinette locks eyes with green ones that stare through a pink, black, and yellow helmet. The boy wears a matching suit, which only makes the blue skin seem bolder.

He holds up his hand, opening and closing it. As he does, words come out. “I believe I said to let her  _ go _ .”

Bob Roth drops Marinette’s arm. Marinette can’t help but back away, nerves filling her. 

“Luka?” She squeaks out, and he turns his attention on her. That’s all Roth needs to run away, leaving Marinette to fend for herself in a now empty room.

“Silencer, now,” he corrects, voice slipping into a gentler tone. “But if you prefer Luka, that’s alright.” He takes a step closer, then pauses when Marinette retreats again. “Marinette, you’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you or take your voice.”

“You took his voice?” The words fall out like he took those, too. 

Silencer nods, eyes unapologetic. “If the world won’t listen to our voices, I’ll give them a voice that they  _ will _ hear.” His free hand makes its way to her cheek, cupping it. “I’ll bring the truth to light. I’ll use their words against them.” He turns, eyes narrowing. “All I have to do is find Roth. Stay here, you’ll be safe from him.” He starts to leave.

“Wait!” Marinette clings to his arm, stopping him. “It doesn’t have to be like this! Ladybug can help! So can Belle Abeille- and Arctic Fox, too! This is what they do! You don’t have to fight this yourself.”

But Silencer just places a finger to her lips, quieting her. “Marinette, these aren’t the villains that Ladybug is supposed to face. These aren’t villains of stone, or monsters from horror movies, or frozen barrens or nightmares come to life. This is life, this is the struggle we have to face head on. This isn’t the time to hide behind a mask. This is the time for  _ justice _ .” His eyes are sincere, and Marinette can tell that he’s smiling behind the helmet. “Trust me, Marinette. I’ll make sure Bob Roth  _ never _ hurts you again. Because you don’t deserve that, Marinette. You’re too good for that. You’re clear as a music note, sincere as a melody. You’re the song that’s been running through my head since the day we met, and I’ll be damned if anything happens to you”

And then he’s gone. 

A push to her hip snaps Marinette out of her daze. She looks down to see Tikki staring up at her.

“Was… was that a love confession?” Marinette murmurs, cheeks pink. Then she shakes her head. “Nevermind, this isn’t the time! Luka is Akumatized! Tikki, spots on!”

She’s racing after him in seconds, eyes searching for him. She needs a plan, needs a way to lure him out. Silencer wants Bob Roth, Ladybug knows that, but how can she use this to her advantage?

She could make an illusion. No, wait, Luka has the Fox Miraculous on him.

A thought hits Ladybug, making her stumble. How...how did Luka get Akumatized… and not give away his secret? Especially when Marinette  _ mentioned _ his identity? Does Akumatization have no control over that, or did Luka evade the thought so he wouldn’t reveal himself?

She shakes her head, shoving her questions aside. This  _ isn’t _ the time.

So she can’t lure Silencer with the Fox Miraculous, and she doesn’t have Chat Noir to annoy him out of hiding. But she  _ does _ have Belle Abeille.

Ladybug calls the Bee on her yoyo. Belle picks up immediately, eyes shining through her predominantly black mask. 

“Yes, Ladybug?” Belle asks, already leaping across Paris. 

“There’s an Akuma at the TVi station. Name is Silencer, he’s able to take voices.”

Belle winces. “Make sure you get your Lucky Charm before he can get you, then.”

Ladybug frowns. “I can’t let him get me at all, or I can’t purify the Akuma.”

“Want me to bait him out?”

“I want your help finding Roth. We’ll work from there.”

“Roth?”

“Don’t ask me, I just know there’s a problem. Seems like a long story,” Ladybug lies, glancing around. No sign of him.

“I’ll be there in three minutes.”

It takes her two and a half. And in that time, Ladybug  _ still _ can’t find Silencer. She does find the other guy, though.

“Bob Roth,” Ladybug greets as she walks in, eyes narrow. “I need your help.”

Roth scoffs. “As if I’m going out  _ there _ . That kid is a maniac, girly, and I’m not an idiot who’d jump into danger.”

“I  _ believe _ that was a statement, not a question,” Belle Abeille says as she steps into the room, hand on her spinning top. “So why don’t you help the heroine of Paris.”

Roth just shakes his head. “Nope. She’s got you. I’m just sitting right  _ here _ ,” he plops into a seat, “and waiting until that fool gets caught.”

Ladybug spots a roll of duct tape. “Fine. You can go ahead and sit there.” She grabs the tape. “Right. There.”

“Hey, wait!”

Five minutes later, Ladybug walks out with Belle.

“Was that necessary?” Belle asks, but her eyes twinkle with amusement.

“Absolutely. Part of the plan.” And then Ladybug clears her throat and yells, “Silencer! If you want Roth, come down to the recording room!” 

“What are you  _ doing _ ?” Belle hisses.

“I’m going home!” Ladybug yells, just as loud. “I’m sick of this guy!”

She freezes, and hears footsteps coming around the corner. Ladybug pulls Belle inside the room, hiding behind the doors. Silencer storms in, eyes searching.

“Where is h-” 

“Venom!” Belle hits him with the spinning top, freezing Silencer. “Quick, where’s the Akuma?”

Ladybug looks him over. The outfit seems rather plain, except for the helmet, which has weird air vents on the side...the helmet!

Ladybug yanks the helmet off of Silencer’s head, then throws it to the ground, cracking it. In moments, everything is fixed.

It was...surprisingly simple. Ladybug wonders if Luka was able to hold himself back, restraining himself for searching for Ladybug. 

Luka looks up at her, eyes widening. “Was I Akumatized?” He asks, voice filled with worry. “I didn’t hurt anyone, did I?”

“No, you didn’t. I’m sorry that you felt that we weren’t there to help you.” She smiles sadly. “I wish we’d been able to fix everything.”

“Well, you could untape me for a start!” Roth screams. “I can’t  _ believe _ you taped me up! I thought you were a hero!”

“Why would I tape you up?” Ladybug asks, and Luka smiles. “I’d never do such a thing.”

Roth turns his gaze to Luka, and laughs. “Oh man, that was fast! So you’re all bark and no bite, huh? I still can’t believe it! Did you think getting Akumatized would make me believe I’d admit I copied your music! Really, how stupid can you be?” He laughs, but it dies down when Ladybug and Luka smile at each other. “Wait...why are you smiling?”

“Perhaps you should be a bit more observant of your surroundings, Roth,” Ladybug suggests, nodding towards Belle, who holds the camera in their direction. The currently  _ live _ , broadcasting camera.

Roth gulps, then grins. “I mean- we were going to announce the truth at the end! It was going to be a big reveal! We’re having Kitty Circle-”

“Kitty Section,” Luka interrupts.

“Kitty Section performing the song tonight! And I’m offering them a contract, too!”

Belle smirks and turns off the camera. “Now that’s what I like to hear,” she says, then her hair comb beeps. “Ah. That’s my cue to leave. Farewell, Ladybug.”

“I should go too!” Ladybug says quickly, then darts out. Moments later, Marinette runs into the room.

“Luka! I saw the broadcast!” She cheers, and Luka grins. 

“Come on, let’s go get ready,” he says, and the two head out of the building, where the rest of Kitty Section awaits.

And, hours later, when Luka goes to perform, his confession is still in Marinette’s head, the words never leaving the front of her mind. But she keeps her questions in, because today is for Luka.

One day, she knows, she’ll ask him if he truly meant those words. One day, she’ll ask how he evaded his secret identity while being influenced by an Akuma. One day, she’ll ask the words she wants to let out.

But today is not that day, and so Marinette lets her wonders slip away as she listens to his melody.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And at last, the Silencer episode comes to light.  
Hmm...I wonder why it was so easy? Perhaps we'll find out soon, perhaps not...
> 
> Until next time, au revoir~ <3


	28. Decisions, Decisions...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and a small dose of Lukanette to soothe your soul

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Three days pass, and the world is silent. Marinette goes through the days, sees her friends, does her work, and trains. She works with the Kwami, letting them out of the box when she’s alone and safe from searching eyes. 

And now, as she gets ready for school on Tuesday morning, Marinette is facing a problem. A problem that’s been nagging at her since she fought Silencer. 

She shouldn’t have been able to defeat him so quickly. If Silencer had seen her, he would have reacted. And he  _ should _ have seen her. He should have been searching for her, searching for her earrings...but he didn’t. He was close, but he made no signs of hearing her until she shouted. Which strikes Marinette as lucky. Too lucky. There’s no way he  _ couldn’t _ hear her, yet he never moved until she had tried to lure him out. And then he fell into the trap. Perfectly. As if he knew where to go and what position to be in for Belle Abeille to take him out, as if-

“Sass?” Marinette asks, brush in one hand as she turns to face the floating Kwami. “Did Luka being a hero help him resist Hawkmoth’s call? Is that why Luka didn’t ever attack me, or put up a fight?”

Sass smiles knowingly. “Luka is ssilent, but he is not weak. He was a good Sssnake, one that knew when to attack and when to stand his ground. I have no doubts that he would be able to resist taking your earrings, ssince he is more loyal to you.”

Marinette smiles. “That makes sense. Luka trusts Ladybug, he wouldn’t want to fight her.” She misses Sass’s smirk. “I just… I wonder why Ch- Adrien was able to be controlled so much when he was possessed, if that’s the case. Did he not trust me as much?” The thought hurts, even now. Even when Chat No- Adrien has been retired for his actions.

Plagg lands in front of her, looking up with serious eyes. “Kitten, Adrien was a dunce, but possessions are different from Akumatizations. He wasn’t being controlled by his own emotions, not really. He was being controlled by what the Akuma felt, and what their personality dictated.”

That makes it better, she supposes. But her concerns aren’t gone, no. Because even if Luka could restrain himself from attacking Ladybug when Akumatized, what if he gets possessed? 

“I need a temporary holder,” Marinette realizes. “Someone to fill in if Belle Abeille or Arctic Fox are unavailable, or if they get possessed. I trust them to refrain from hurting me as Ladybug, and I know Luka won’t hurt  _ me _ now, but if the actual Akuma overpowers their own emotions when possessed, I can’t hope that they can break through that, too.”

“So, who do you want to make a temporary user?” Tikki asks. “Are you going to bring Plagg back out?”

Plagg yawns. “And I just finished making my new bed! Really, sugarcube, want me out of the house that bad?” Then he shrugs, little nubby arms reaching up carelessly. “But alright, kid, I’m ready when you need me.”

Marinette smiles sadly. “I’m sorry, Plagg, but I don’t think it’s time for you to come back out. I don’t have anyone I can trust that much, not with  _ you _ . Not with...cataclysm.” She gulps, unconsciously reaching for her neck. It tingles faintly, though she can’t remember a thing. “I don’t trust anyone with that much power. What if it ends up in the wrong hands? What if Adrien sees a classmate wearing it? I know he’s trying to improve himself, but what if he gets reckless and tries to get you back, Plagg? I can’t, I can’t-”

“Kitten, it’s fine,” Plagg says, flying in front of her face and pulling a hand away. She didn’t even realize she was holding her head. “I get it. I won’t be used until you find me a good Chosen, and that’s fine. You  _ know _ I’m happy to float around and eat cheese all day.” He floats down, grabbing her brush from the floor, then places it back in her hands with minor difficulty. “Relax, kit. It’s hard to sleep with all of the anxiety.”

Marinette giggles, letting go of her stress. “I...thank you, Plagg.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever,” Plagg says, but Marinette can’t miss the fondness in his eyes. 

“So,” Mullo pipes up, “if you’re not getting another Chat Noir, who  _ are _ you going to pick?”

Marinette shrugs, reaching for one of her signature red hair bands. “I’m not sure. I don’t really want to bring out someone destructive- sorry, Stompp, but I really need a distraction. Or something to make up for a lack of one, when Arctic Fox can’t make an illusion or Belle Abeille can’t freeze the Akuma. I need...I need time. Either the ability to hop through time, or more chances for a single moment.” 

“So it’s between me or Sass?” Fluff asks, ear twitching with anticipation.

“I think so,” Marinette confirms, tying up her second pigtail. “Right now, I think Second Chance is the power I need more often, however. Sorry, Fluff.”

“It’s alright, Marinette,” Fluff reassures, smiling calmly. “I know that I have my time in the future where I will be called to action.” Fluff winks, then floats over to a plate of food Marinette had brought up. He begins to nibble on a carrot, easily appeased.

“Do you have sssomeone in mind?” Sass asks. “Or iss that up for debate?”

“I don’t know.” Marinette grabs her bag, quickly shoving her school supplies in. “I need someone who can stay calm, that’s for sure. I can’t go with people who will rush into action without thought. I need them to be good at staying hidden, someone who can slip out of sight and strategize in the background between loops. I need someone who can be subtle, but knows how to be bold.” Marinette gasps. “I know! Sass! I have the  _ perfect _ temporary holder for you!”

“Iss that ssso?” Sass asks. “Who iss it?” 

Marinette glances out through her window, and sees her Fox and his sibling walking up to the school. “Juleka!”

\-----

The day is a blur. Marinette keeps an eye on her friend, looking out for any potential flaws. But instead of issues, she finds assurance. She finds Juleka being shy yet upfront when she opens up, doling out useful advice and good ideas. She finds someone who will stand for her friends, yet has no problems slipping out of the spotlight. She finds someone she can trust.

And so, when the sun is set and the stars shine bright in the sky, Ladybug emerges, empty-handed, to see her future hero… and her brother.

Leaping through the sky, it’s easy to make her way to the Liberty. Luka is sitting alone on the top deck, strumming a song absentmindedly on his guitar. He pauses when she lands on the boat.

“Ladybug?” Luka asks. “Is everything alright? Is there an Akuma?” He reaches for his necklace, hands fidgeting with the fox tail.

“No, everything is alright. I just have a few questions.” Ladybug smiles calmly, and Luka calms down.

“Alright. Should we take this to the roofs?” He glances around, searching for prying eyes.

“Sure. It’s always nice to see the sights.”

Two minutes later, Arctic Fox and Ladybug are sitting on a roof, staring down at the empty Parisian streets. 

“So,” Arctic starts, “what did you need to ask?”

“What do you think of your sister and her friends?” Ladybug asks casually, eyes avoiding his. “Are they good people?”

“Of course they are,” he responds just as calmly, though Ladybug knows his eyes are searching, trying to figure out her melody, her tempo. “Juleka’s great. I’d trust her with my life, Ladybug.”

“And her friends?”

“All wonderful. Rose is a sweetheart, she’d do anything to prevent any of us from being upset. Ivan is quiet, but he’ll stand up for what’s right. And Marinette is...where do I begin?” Arctic chuckles, and Ladybug can feel the change in the air.

“Oh?” She responds, ever the conversationalist.

Arctic laughs again, then sighs. “Marinette is perfect. She’s clear like a music note, sincere like a melody. She’s...she’s the song that’s been running through my head since the day we met.” Another sigh. “I’m glad to be her friend, the world has slighted her too much for me to not be by her side.”

Ladybug looks over, and Arctic is smiling at the sky. “She… she must be something special, huh?”

“That’s an understatement, Ladybug.” He smiles, and it’s one that’s full of mischief. “She could carry the world on her shoulders, an Atlas of France. She’s a hero, no doubt about it. I’d have to be blind to not see it.”

Ladybug chuckles, amused by how spot on Luka is in that regard. ‘ _ If only he knew _ ,’ Ladybug thinks.

(She doesn’t see the way he looks at her when she looks away.)

“So, why’d you ask?” Arctic asks when the silence stretches as long as the horizon goes on. “Just curious, or something more?”

“I need to start using temporary holders again,” Ladybug responds. “If you or Belle Abeille ever get possessed, it’s not as easily broken as an Akuma. I know that you can control yourself when Akumatized, just like you did as Silencer, but possessions take over you. I need backup, if one of us gets hit and possessed.”

“So you’re looking for recommendations,” Arctic realizes. 

Ladybug nods. “Expect a new Snake sometime soon.”

Arctic smiles, then says, “Well, no one is a greater snake than a Couffaine.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking.” 

And so it’s decided. Ladybug can only hope that Hawkmoth doesn’t decide to Akumatize someone  _ too _ soon, though.

She just wants a nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now we know why the fight was so easy! But what's this, a new future holder? How will Juleka take to the spotlight? Only time will tell...


	29. Musings of a Queen

Chapter Twenty-Nine

_ Chloé _

_ _ If there’s one thing Chloé hates, it’s being in the dark about what’s going on. But here she is, wondering what the absolute  _ fuck _ happened to her class. 

Seriously. Just a month ago, her biggest issue was Dupain-Che- Marinette. Her biggest concern was  _ Marinette _ getting in her way of spending time with Adrien, or being so cheery that Chloé just wanted to gag. And life was simple. Chloé was the queen of the class, Marinette was her little rival. Sure, Lila was there, but the girl was no issue, honestly.

And then Lila got exposed. Marinette, the girl who was a perfect ray of sunshine who’d never spoken out against anyone but Chloé herself, had tricked the class into letting her expose the new girl with the teacher’s  _ permission _ . Bravo indeed, Marinette, Chloé didn’t know the bluenette had the gall to do such a thing. 

Of course, that’s when everything went to shit. Suddenly, friendships were breaking. And that means  _ all _ of Marinette’s friendships. Suddenly, Marinette and Alya weren’t some annoying little do-gooders that had each other’s backs on everything. Suddenly, Chloé found herself on the same team as Marinette, arguing with Alya over who was a better hero: Rena Rouge or Arctic Fox. Suddenly, Chloé found herself being one of the few to see how hurt Marinette truly was before the bluenette spelled it out for the whole class to know.

Suddenly, everything was changing. Heroes were being replaced. First, it was Arctic Fox. Then, suddenly, it was  _ just _ Arctic Fox. No other temporaries. Just the trio. And then Chat Noir was gone. By the time Ladybug herself came swinging to the top of the Grand Paris Hotel, Chloé knew life would never go back to how it was.

She was right. Ladybug had come to explain the situation, because she’s just that perfect. The spotted heroine had taken time out of her day to explain that  _ all _ of the temporary heroes were being retired, and replacements were being found.

And Chloé  _ knew _ it was because of Lila’s exposure. It timed up too perfectly to not be the case. While she didn’t understand exactly how at the time, she knew one thing: she had to change, or she’d never be a hero again.

So she asked Ladybug how to be better. And Ladybug was patient, and explained how to be a better person.

It’s harder than it looks. Chloé tries to be nicer, tries to hold her tongue, but sometimes her classmates can be so  _ stupid _ . The moment Alya claimed to be Rena Rouge? Chloé believed it. She absolutely believed it, because that explained  _ everything _ . It explained why Lila’s exposure would lead to the temporary heroes being replaced- Alya was the link. Alya was Rena Rouge, but Alya was the Ladyblogger, spreading lies like a wildfire. And if Ladybug could see what Alya was doing, she would pay more attention to her other heroes...and be dissatisfied.

Chloé almost ignored Alya’s comment, trying to hold her tongue. But she saw the glint in Adrien’s eyes, and it unnerved her. She saw the odd way he stared at the wannabe reporter… and she felt sick.

So she did what she does best: she insulted Alya. She mocked the idea of Alya being Rena Rouge, and called her out for how ridiculous the idea seemed. And she saw Adrien lose the glint, and everything seemed better.

And Chloé got better. She started standing up for what seemed right. When Alya tried to call out Nino, and out him as Carapace (and yeah, that makes sense), she opened her mouth to disprove it, but Nino was faster.

Chloé learned timing. Timing was everything. Sometimes she had to speak up, sometimes she had to stay quiet.

She learned the latter when Kagami came into their classroom, following Marinette. She wore a new outfit, one with a small bee embroidered into the top. And Chloé looked at the symbol...and then glanced to Kagami’s hair.

The edges of a hair comb poked out, only visible to those who searched for it. And Chloé knew that it was time to stay silent. Because no one else could recognize that hair comb in the class like Chloé could, because only Chloé has seen it so close.

It seems that Belle Abeille isn’t as mysterious as Chloé had assumed. She’s actually glad to know this, glad to see that Ladybug hasn’t  _ completely _ lost hope in the school. (She knows she would have.) 

But it makes her pause. Because...has Ladybug ever chosen someone who  _ didn’t _ go to this school? There was Alya, and Nino...and herself. And now Kagami?

And then Silencer happened. And Chloé heard the news, of how Belle Abeille and Ladybug took down the Akuma- Luka, a friend of Marinette’s- with ease. 

She hears nothing of Arctic Fox. 

A few days pass, and on Thursday morning, Chloé has made an assumption. She walks into class, side by side with Sabrina, who rambles about the show she’d watched the night before. (Believe it or not, Chloé  _ does _ listen to her only friend. And she’s been doing her own work, too. She’s trying!) 

But she cuts Sabrina off, as gently as possible, to ask, “Hey, Sabrina? How long has Luka been hanging around Marinette?” She points to the older boy, who leans against Marinette’s desk and jokes about something. 

“I don’t know when their friendship started,” Sabrina admits, and Chloé hums.

“Alright. How long has he been coming into this class?”

“A few weeks? It started a bit after the whole...you know…” Sabrina doesn’t like to bring it up. She doesn’t like the tension.

Chloé hums again, smiling. “Thanks.” 

Her eyes train on a chain that hangs, the rest of the necklace hidden under the shirt that the guitarist wears. She has a feeling that she knows what hides underneath, and that can only mean one thing.

Luka is Arctic Fox… and Marinette Dupain-Cheng is Ladybug, the heroine and protector of Paris.

Chloé doesn’t know how to feel. Scratch that, she absolutely does.

She’s… not shocked, to be honest. Because of  _ course _ it’s Marinette. Who else could be so selfless, so caring? Who else could be so patient, and willing to give her bully a chance to become a hero? Who else could have so much faith in Chloé, despite everything?

But Chloé also doesn’t get it. Because how could everyone treat her so awfully? How could  _ she _ treat Marinette so badly? How could Chloé be annoyed by Marinette’s kindness, yet be inspired by Ladybug’s? How is she such a hypocrite?

She was jealous. Chloé knows this, she’s always known this, and she used to resent the bluenette for all that she had. Because while Chloé had money, Marinette had friends and a loving family. Chloé had stuff, Marinette had memories. And Chloé lashed out.

And Marinette offered freedom. She offered a chance at redemption.

And Kwami damn her if Chloé isn’t going to take this chance. Chloé is many things, and a quitter isn’t one of them. And if Ladybug- if  _ Marinette _ thinks that Chloé can become a better person, can become a true hero?

Chloé won’t prove her wrong, that’s for sure.

So she turns away, leaving Marinette and Luka and Kagami and all of her friends alone. And she turns away from Alya and Nino and Adrien, who all have their own issues to work out. And she turns to Sabrina. 

And she asks, “Hey, didn’t you say your dad’s birthday is coming up? Want to go shopping for his present after school?”

And Sabrina lights up. And Chloé knows she’s doing what she’s supposed to, one step at a time.

So, yeah. Everything is crazy. But everything will calm down, and when it’s all said and done, Chloé will be a better person than she has ever been before. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it what you expected? Surprise, surprise, Chloe is learning how to be better! (I had a plan for her, and many others, since the start, so I hope it doesn't seem too abrupt or anything!)
> 
> What did you think? I hope you all enjoyed, and au revoir until next time!


	30. Reptilitany

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 chapters in 3 days? What is this, a miracle?
> 
> Nope! I just had a free day to study for finals and a case of procrastination. Enjoy the chapter, there'll be more notes at the end!

Chapter Thirty

_ Juleka _

What. The. Fuck.

What the fuck?

Why.

Juleka stares at the Akuma, the trumpet-wielding, Day of the Dead themed Akuma. Just… why?

Oh. Jagged Stone. Okay. Yeah, that explains the rock star’s appearance. And why he needs a new band member… although she didn’t know that her  _ mom _ was his old partner.

Her mom is pissed, staring at both the rock star and his angry ex-coworker. Juleka is just annoyed. Kitty Section just wanted to practice a new song after a long day at school, is that too much to ask?

Juleka glances around, observing her friends. Rose is shaking in fear, hiding behind Ivan, who openly glowers at the Akuma. Marinette is trying to reason with the Akuma, with Luka behind her, arms ready to move the bluenette. Her mother is yelling at Jagged, calling him a fool for firing the girl- and she’s gone.

She’s gone in a poof of yellow smoke, and Juleka feels her heart break. Because even if it’s fixable, that’s her  _ mom _ .

Juleka glares at the Akuma, curls her hands into fists...and slips into the shadows as the angry Desperada continues her attack, quickly catching Rose, Ivan, and Jagged, their faces appearing as stickers on her instrument case. Marinette disappears in the chaos, just like she always does during battles, and Luka is gone, too.

Desperada looks around, scoffs, and leaps off of the boat, heading into the city.

Juleka stays in the shadows, staring at the empty spots. She can’t help but feel helpless. Useless. Worthless. She wishes she could do better, she wishes she could help them, she wishes she could do  _ something, anything _ to-

“Juleka Couffaine,” a confident voice speaks, and Juleka turns to see Ladybug smiling down on her. “I need your help.”

Juleka stares with wide eyes, her heart stopping. “Me?”

“I need you to wield the Snake Miraculous temporarily, and use its power of Second Chance to defeat Desperada. When we are done, you will have to return the Miraculous to me. Can I count on you?” Ladybug holds a hand out, a weirdly shaped box resting in her palm.

Juleka feels her breath catch. This is her moment. This is her time.

This is her  _ second chance _ .

Her own hand reaches out, and she opens the box.

The flash of cyan blinds her, and when it stops, she’s staring at a...floating snake?

“Wicked,” Juleka breathes out, smiling at the little reptile.

“Hello, I am Sass, your Kwami.” The snake, Sass, smiles as he speaks. “I am your sssource of power. To transform, say, ‘Sass, sssscales sslither.’ Your power is Second Chance, it will allow you to repeat a moment in time for five minutes. If you do not reset the loop, your time will end and you will detransssform. Do you under _ s _ tand?”

Juleka blinks, then nods. “Yeah, I think so.” She looks to Ladybug, who’s still smiling at her. “So do I just…?”

“Go ahead,” Ladybug urges her on, and Juleka smiles.

“Sass, scales slither!” 

\-----

Ladybug watches the cyan light that cloaks Juleka, disappearing to leave behind a new, snake themed heroine. 

Violet eyes stare back at her, practically illuminated by the dark purples and blacks of her costume, which… huh. Ladybug did  _ not _ expect that. (She’d have to talk to Sass and the others about costume choices later.)

Her new Snake wears a suit that only holds a faint resemblance to the one her brother had donned. There’s a gem in the center of her chest, much like Viperion’s, but it shines cyan instead of the yellow shade it’d been before, as if an homage to her predecessor. From there, Juleka branched off, changing the game. Her suit seems to wind around her in two, purple and black intertwining like serpents as it covers her body. Her hands to her elbows are covered in plain black, the only flash of color being her Miraculous, and her mask covers most of her face. A plain black hood covers her hair, hiding most of her expression from view. It’s dark and covering… perfect for someone who needs to hide.

Juleka stares at her hands with unblinking eyes, then beams. “ _ Awesome _ .”

Ladybug chuckles, then glances through the small window on the boat. “Glad you like it, Vi- what do you want to be called?”

Juleka is silent for a moment, then speaks. “Reptilitany.”

“Reptilitany,” Ladybug hums, then nods. “Let’s go, then. Desperada is on the loose, and we need to catch up with Belle Abeille and Arctic Fox.”

Reptilitany nods, and the two are on their way. Ladybug is quick to pull out her yoyo, and calls Arctic immediately.

“Ladybug,” Arctic Fox greets, glancing down at his screen. “Got company?”

“A new Snake,” Ladybug states, and she sees the smile that he tries to hide. “Reptilitany, our newest temporary.”

“Nice to meet you,” Arctic says, then glances away. “We’re down by the Trocadero, Desperada is giving us a hassle, making us chase her so much.”

“She thinks she can escape us,” Belle Abeille comments, coming into view. “She’s not a bright one, I suppose.”

Reptilitany lets out a small laugh, and Arctic smiles. But then a loud noise is heard, and his smile turns into a frown. “I guess her little games are over.”

“We’ll be there before you know it,” Ladybug promises.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Belle says, and then the call ends.

They’re at the scene in seconds, and are immediately greeted by trumpet blasts. Ladybug barely dodges the hits, and Reptilitany escapes by a hair. Ladybug leaps over to Belle Abeille and Arctic Fox, who hide behind some buildings.

“Any plan, Ladybug?” Belle Abeille hisses out as Reptilitany lands behind them.

Ladybug nods, eyes scanning the scene. “We can’t risk getting trapped without one of our members, so Reptilitany will use her power to keep that from happening. Repti,” Ladybug glances at her, and the girl nods, “if any, and I mean  _ any _ of us get hit by Desperada’s trumpet attack, you reset time immediately. We can’t risk being down a member, not right now. Arctic, make sure Repti doesn’t get hit. Belle, I need you to get up close and I’ll try to find her object. Got it, guys?” They all nod, and she smiles. “Then let’s get this party started.”

\-----

Arctic Fox watches as his teammates bound away, Belle Abeille and Ladybug hopping straight into the action. Arctic can only watch and wait beside Reptilitany… his sister, but she doesn’t know that.

“ _ Second chance _ ,” Reptilitany whispers, and Arctic smiles at her.

“Good job, Repti,” he says, picking up on Ladybug’s nickname. “Glad to have you on the team.”

He’s met with silence, but he shrugs it off. He knows his sister is nervous, hears her melody as it pounds, the song unsure. But he hears the excitement, the wildness of her beats. 

And at last she speaks. “What happened to the last Snake?” A pause. “I’d heard that there was one.”

“Viperion,” he responds with a smile. “That was me.”

A hum. “Then why am I here?”

“We needed more team members.” Arctic hears her fidget with something, sees a flash of light. He blinks, brushes it off. “We can’t use me for everyone, now can we?” He glances back again, winking quickly.

Her violet eyes stare back at him in shock.

“You remembered?” She asks, and the flash of light makes sense.

“Who got hit?” He responds, chest tightening. 

“Belle Abeille,” and he can breathe.

“Good job. I didn’t even see it,” he admits, and trains his eyes on the fight. Desperada is fast, eyes locked on her target as she shoots at Belle Abeille. Ladybug stays away, swinging her yoyo as a shield while looking for the object. Arctic sees how Belle stumbles over an object, Desperada lines up her shot.

“Mirage!” Arctic hisses out, and quickly plays a few notes. But it’s not fast enough. Desperada shoots, Belle disappears, and then there’s the flash of light and everything is okay.

“God damn it,” Arctic whispers.

“How do you remember? They don’t,” Reptilitany points out, and Arctic chuckles, readying his flute.

“It’s because I was Viperion, like I said. I guess remembering isn’t a one time thing.” It’s the only explanation that makes sense.

“Ah.” And it seems to be good enough for her, too. 

Belle Abeille stumbles. 

“Mirage!” Arctic hisses, and plays a few notes. A ball of light forms on the end of his flute, and he flings it out. It crashes into the ground, a blast of light and sound that makes Desperada wince and shield her eyes. When it disappears, multiple Ladybug and Belle Abeille are in front of her, all in different positions.

“Think you can trick me, you mangy fox?” Desperada cries out, eyes not leaving the many heroes before her. “Just watch me!” She begins to shoot at the other many copies, quickly destroying them one by one.

She doesn’t watch her back. And that’s all they need for Ladybug to catch her off guard, catching her trumpets with a...saddle. Of course, what else does Arctic expect?

With an Akuma purification and one “Miraculous Ladybug” later, the world is reset.

“Ready to show the world your face?” Arctic asks, and Reptilitany nods. They leap down together.

And as the press approaches, his sister doesn’t shy away.

He’s proud. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here she is, our newest Snake! What do you guys think?
> 
> I have more planned for Reptilitany, don't you worry. ;) But I want to warn you all, updates may be a little more spread out...because I have yet another thing added to my plate! Not only do I have work, high school, college (Dual Enrollment student right here!), and a part in my school's musical...I have now been granted the role of assistant director for the show! Which means *more* work, haha. 
> 
> If you're familiar with my tumblr, @salthaven, you'll know that I'm already feeling the effects of all of my previous commitments. This is the only story I can actually update on a weekly basis, because I have a vague idea of where it's heading. My tumblr stories are suffering since I don't know what to do with them...so if you hop on over there and have an idea, hit me up! Same here! Any requests or suggestions help, and hopefully can keep my posting on track for all of you lovely readers.
> 
> With all of this said, thank you for your time and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Until next time! <3
> 
> (P.S. Reptilitany = reptile + litany, a musical repetition)


	31. Crushes and Bets

Chapter Thirty-One

Marinette goes to school on Saturday morning, expecting it to be normal. She expects Alya to be vaguely pissed off at the world, for there to be a little tension in the air, for things to be just a little bit off from how they were a few months ago. She expects normalcy, in the odd way it is now. 

She expects there to be a bit of excitement, as her classmates gawk over the exciting news of there being a new Snake. She expects some people to wonder why Viperion is gone, or why Reptilitany is the newest team member. She toys with the idea that someone will eventually recognize that Viperion was just Arctic Fox, but others will be blind to the fact. She expects people to like Reptilitany overall.

She doesn’t expect to find Rose blushing as she talks about the new heroine, but Marinette isn’t psychic. So that’s what she walks into as she enters class, Kagami and Félix by her sides.

“Wasn’t she so cool?” Rose sighs, leaning against a blushing Juleka. “She just seemed so mysterious, I wish I could meet her!”

“She was pretty cool, huh?” Luka asks, and Rose nods, not seeing how Juleka looks at her. Marinette sees, though, and she holds back her laughter.

“She was so pretty!” 

“How do you know?” Max asks, joining the conversation as Marinette sits down nearby. “You could barely see forty percent of her face, due to her hood and mask.”

“You don’t need to see a person’s face to know they’re pretty,” Rose defends.

“Isn’t attractiveness based off of seeing what a person looks like?” Félix asks, but Rose brushes his question aside.

“Maybe  _ part _ of it, but it’s also about how they act! And their personality! Reptilitany was  _ everything _ . Brave, smart, pretty...wow.” She swoons. “She’s perfect.”

Marinette giggles. “Rose, do you have a crush on the new heroine?”

“A  _ crush _ ?!” Rose yelps, blue eyes wide. “Marinette, Reptilitany can have my whole heart if she wants it!”

Juleka sputters, and Luka laughs.

“Maybe you should tell her,” Luka says with a smile. “At the very least, I’m sure she’d be flattered.”

Rose wilts like, well, a rose. “I doubt I’ll ever see her in person. She seems to be a temporary hero, how am I supposed to get to her?”

Marinette sees how Juleka frowns at that, and speaks without thought. “Hey, don’t let dreams be dreams! Reptilitany seemed like a wonderful hero, she’s bound to come back. And when she does, we’ll get her to see you!”

Rose beams. “Thank you! You’re wonderful, Marinette!” And then she’s back to her rant on how amazing Reptilitany is, unaware of how much her words affect Juleka.

At the very least, it’s amusing for Luka and Marinette, although Marinette can’t joke about it with Luka without giving away her identity. 

When the warning bell rings, Kagami and Luka leave the class, quickly heading to their own rooms. Marinette smiles at Félix, who seems amused by Rose’s affections for the heroine.

“She seems to fall quickly,” Félix notes, and Marinette nods.

“She’s got a big heart,” Marinette responds, and then it’s time for class.

The morning passes by quickly, and then Marinette is heading home.

Well, she tries to. 

She’s about to cross the street when she’s stopped by Nino.

“Hey,” he starts, fidgeting with his cap.

“Hey, Nino. What’s up?”

“Want to hang out? Me and the boys are heading to Adrien’s to play some video games. His dad  _ finally _ allowed us to come over.”

Marinette smiles. “Sure, I’d love to!”

And that’s how she ends up at the Agreste mansion, eating junk food as she defeats Kim in Ultimate Mecha Strike III. It’s great, hanging out with the guys like nothing changed. For just a moment, it feels like the world is alright. Like their friendships never broke, like they healed completely and the future will be perfect.

Adrien sits down to battle her. He shoots her a smile as he takes the controller from Kim.

“Just like last time, huh?” He asks, and Marinette smirks.

“I’ll beat you just as easily,” she taunts, and he laughs.

“I don’t know, princess,” the nickname slips out, and Marinette blinks. “I have a little bit of luck on my side.” He pulls out the lucky charm she gave him months ago, eyes twinkling.

Marinette laughs, but it feels a little bit stilted. “Using my own luck against me? I left mine at home, sorry.”

She hasn’t carried it since she moved on.

He shrugs, although the gleam in his eyes dims. “That just means I’m bound to win, doesn’t it?”

“We’ll see about that.”

Adrien opens his mouth to respond, but Kim shouts, “Start the match already! I wanna see her sweep you!” And so Marinette does.

It’s her longest match, but Marinette manages to defeat him at last.

“Guess it wasn’t enough luck to beat the champ,” Adrien concedes, handing off his controller to Nathaniel, who looks  _ terrified _ , “but maybe next time.”

“In your dreams,” Marinette jokes, and then smiles at Nathaniel. “Do you remember how to play?”

“Marc and I have played it a couple of times,” Nathaniel says with a shrug. “I think I know what to do?”

He’s defeated in seconds. 

“Sorry?” Marinette tries, but Nathaniel just shrugs again.

“I’m not much of a gamer, it’s fine,” and then he’s off to the foosball table.

Hours pass in the blink of an eye, and Marinette finds herself somewhat sad to leave when Adrien has to kick them out.

“I hope we can do this again,” Marinette says as she walks out of the house. “It was fun.”

Adrien beams at her. “I’m not sure when I can get everyone over, but I know my dad likes you. I’m sure you can come over anytime… well, anytime I’m free.”

Marinette nods. “Alright. I’ll see you at school, Adrien.”

“Yep! You too, princess!” Then Gorilla slams the door shut.

They’re barely past the gate before Nino nudges Marinette.

“What’s up?” Marinette asks.

“Princess?” He asks in response, and Marinette shrugs, trying to play it cool.

“Beats me,” she says, and he eyes her with suspicion.

“I didn’t know you two were so close,” Max admits. “Adrien doesn’t give anyone else nicknames, not that I’ve heard.”

‘ _ Oh, he has plenty of nicknames for people, _ ’ Marinette thinks, remembering all of the names he’d given Ladybug. Externally, she smiles. “I’m sure he has nicknames for other people.”

“Maybe he likes you!” Kim shouts with a grin. “Marinette, you should ask him out!”

Nino snorts. “Maybe not the best time, bud.”

“Why not? Statistically speaking, Adrien is showing the most interest in her now than he has since the day they met,” Max points out, Markov nodding behind him.

“But I don’t have a crush on him?” Marinette says, and Kim gapes at her.

“You  _ don’t _ ?”

“I stopped liking him when Lila came,” Marinette says, and all of the boys frown when they hear her name.

“So who  _ do  _ you like?” Kim continues on, and Marinette pauses.

“No one?”

“Fuck,” Nathaniel swears. “I owe Marc twenty euros.”

Nino is the one to question that statement. “What do you mean?”

“I thought she liked Luka or Félix,” he admits with a blush. “Marc assumed that she liked Kagami or just wasn’t interested at all.”

“So you made a bet on it?” Marinette asks, bewildered. “And why did you- why would you- what?!”

“No, that makes sense,” Max admits. “They are your closest friends. And they’re constantly around you. Someone could assume that you’re interested in at least one of them.”

Marinette blushes. “I...I don’t know. I haven’t really focused on any of that, you know?” And she hasn’t. After Adrien, she hasn’t searched for anyone to pine after. She doesn’t want to be so stalkerish again. 

Nino smiles, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Well, whenever your heart decides, we’ll back you up one hundred percent. Whether it’s our boy Adrien again, or one of the other three. It’s your choice, Nette.”

“Thanks,” Marinette says, grateful for the end of the topic, and then they talk about their plans for the weekend.

But in the back of her head, the thought lingers, and her cheeks stay pink.

(Maybe Rose isn’t the only one with a crush.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy this chapter! I'm starting to stress a bit, because I'm not quite sure where to go a few chapters from now...but hopefully I'll find inspiration in the following weeks! (And, as always, if anyone has a request and/or recommendation, I'm happy to hear it in the comments below!)
> 
> Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next time. <3


	32. MDC

Chapter Thirty-Two

**Uncle Jagged: ** _ Yo, Mari, my favorite niece! I got a favor to ask ya! _

_ _ Marinette giggles at the text, clicking on it and responding immediately. ‘ _ Yes, Uncle J? _ ’

His response comes just as quickly. ‘ _ I’ve got a tour coming up, and I need a new suit that’s as rock and roll as my newest hits! Think you can whip something up for me? I’ll pay whatever you ask, man. _ ’

She can hear Tikki talking with Fluff as she responds, face warm from the compliment.

‘ _ I’d love to! I’ll come up with some designs and send them to you in a few days. _ ’

‘ _ Rockin! Thanks, dudette. You’re the only designer who gets my vibe, I wish you had a commission list so I knew what I could get from ya! _ ’

Marinette giggles again, then pauses. Because...huh. That...that sounds like a good idea. Why  _ hasn’t _ Marinette set up a commission price list yet? 

“You never had time in the past?” Tikki pipes up.

“Huh?” Marinette startles, looking at Tikki. 

Tikki floats closer, smiling. “You spoke out loud, silly! I said you never had time beforehand.”

“Yeah, you’re right…” And Tikki is, Marinette knows that better than anyone else. Being Ladybug and a student weren’t her only responsibilities, and spending time with friends and working as the class president didn’t take away all of her free time, either. No, the most time consuming activity was keeping up with everything her friends wanted. Between babysitting for Alya and Nino, watching over Manon for Nadja, and designing (and making) outfits and other artistic items for the rest of her class, Marinette had no time for herself. And while she still babysits Manon once every few weeks (she’s never been more thankful that Nadja’s schedule shifted so that she could spend more time with her daughter), and designs for her friends...it’s not as hectic as it used to be. 

Her friends don’t even ask her to design as much since Lila’s exposure, and it’s been  _ weeks _ . Alix only asked for a banner once for an upcoming activity, and that was a banner for the museum...and she  _ paid _ for that. (With her brother’s money, as she was requesting it for him.) It’s...it’s odd. 

No, Marinette realizes, it’s not odd. It’s  _ thoughtful _ . They remember how much they expected of her, how they trivialized her feelings compared to theirs...and they’ve changed.

Marinette blinks rapidly, forcing away the tears that suddenly sprang up. She makes a note to bring in cookies soon, just because. Because that’s what  _ friends  _ do. They look out for each other and care about one another and their feelings.

“So, Marinette, are you going to make the commission list?” Wayzz asks, unaware of the sentimental thoughts running through Marinette’s head.

Marinette smiles. “Yeah, I think I will.” She turns to her computer, pulls up a new document, and pauses, an idea striking her. “Hey, guys?” She turns to face the Kwami, smiling. “What if I make a website?”

“A website?” Xuppu asks, and Marinette nods.

“Yeah! Think about it. If I have a website, more people can find out about my commissions and can contact me through the site. From there, I can talk with them and figure out what they want, and they’ll already know the price they’ll have to pay!” She beams at the Kwami. “This could be the first step to getting my name out into the world!”

“And you’re sure this won’t overwhelm you? You won’t be too busy, will you?” Longg asks, concern clear on his face.

“I’m sure! I’ll put up a disclaimer on creation times, so that they know how long it may take me to create their design.”

“Then let’s do it!” Tikki cheers. “I love creating things!”

“Great!” Marinette turns to the computer, then pauses again. “Huh. I...don’t actually know  _ how _ to set up a website.”

\-----

Marinette spent the rest of the day trying to set up her new site, but wasn’t sure where to even start. Sure, she could design, and come up with a simple name for her brand (MDC), but she wasn’t as great with creating websites. Resigned, the bluenette went to sleep, accepting that she’d have to try again the next day. 

But her patience didn’t last long, and Monday morning starts with Marinette focusing on a different aspect of her future site: the commission prices. Marinette is smart, she knows this, but she’s not sure how she should price her designs. Jagged always says that he’d pay hundreds, but that’s  _ Jagged _ . He’s practically her uncle, of  _ course _ he’s going to say that! And besides, she’s a new designer. So shouldn’t she sell for cheaper prices?

She ends up talking about the idea with her friends as they wait for school to start. They’re smart, and they’re not as biased as Jagged Stone, so she’s sure she can get a better idea from their conversation.

“So that’s why I’m setting up a website!” Marinette finishes, dropping into her seat next to Félix with a sigh. “And Jagged tells me to come up with a price list, but I don’t know how much my designs are worth! Do you guys think fifteen euros is a decent price for a shirt?”

In response, she hears three scoffs. The first one to speak is Chloé, surprisingly.

“ _ Fifteen euros _ ?” The blonde scoffs again, making her way to the back of the room. “Dupain-Ch- Marinette, a  _ sleeve _ designed by you would sell for more.”

“What?” Marinette responds, oh so wisely. Chloé snorts.

“My mother, the fashion  _ queen _ , adored your hat. Adored. I’d easily pay one hundred euros for a shirt of yours, and it’s only so low because you’re so new to the field.”

“Really?” Marinette asks, shocked. She didn’t expect to hear something so...nice? Yeah, that’s the word. Huh.

“She’s right, you know,” Nathaniel pipes up from his spot beside Alix. “I sell sketches for fifteen euros, there’s no way a shirt from you could be worth that little. It’d be, at the very least, worth four or five times more.”

Marinette blushes. “Thank you. So...sixty euros?”

Chloé sighs. “You know what? Marinette, I’m helping you design your website. Nathaniel, you’re helping, too!”

“Oh, uh, alright?” Nathaniel agrees, surprised by Chloé’s decision.

Félix smiles at Marinette. “I have experience creating websites, I can help you set yours up.”

“Thank you,” Marinette says, beaming. Then she turns to Chloé and Nathaniel. “You too, guys!”

“Can we help?” Rose asks, gesturing to herself and Juleka. Ivan, behind them, looks interested in the conversation.

Marinette hums, then gasps. “Actually, yeah! Would you guys mind if I use you as models?”

“That’d be awesome!” Rose agrees instantly. “Ooh, do you want us to wear our Kitty Section costumes?”

“We could get the whole group together, show off what you created,” Luka adds in, smiling down at the bluenette.

“Rose, that’s a great idea! Those costumes were made specifically for you, it’s better to show off those than the designs I made just for fun-”

“Though you should show those off, too,” Félix says. “It’ll let your personality show more.”

“Alright. So I’ll show off some personalized work and some designs I made on my own...do you think Jagged would agree to me using a picture of him with the glasses I made?”

Chloé, again, snorts. “Marinette, Jagged Stone  _ always _ talks about you when he’s at the hotel. He’ll probably want to be the main picture.”

“I, too, would like to be a model of yours, if you’d like,” Kagami says. “I can wear the outfit you created for me.”

“I’d love that!” Marinette says. “You’d be a great model!” She doesn’t see how Kagami blushes.

She  _ does _ see Adrien as he leaves his seat, coming up to the rather large group that’s formed around Marinette’s spot. 

“Hey, princess,” He greets with a perfect smile. “If you want a male model, I’m happy to help.”

She opens her mouth to respond, but Félix is faster.

“Thank you, but I doubt we need another model.  _ Luka and I  _ have this handled, and we will likely have Ivan and Jagged Stone himself on the site, too.” Félix looks to Ivan. “Do you plan to be in the Kitty Section picture, Ivan?” The boy nods, smiling lightly. “That’s plenty of people, then. Marinette only needs a few models for any further pictures.” 

“But I’m actually a model, so I am-”

“Constantly busy, running from photoshoot to photoshoot,” Félix cuts him off easily. “If you ever managed to find time to help Marinette, it’d be in limited amounts, and would put unnecessary pressure and time constraints onto her, along with any other people that would be helping.”

“But what if you guys need help with poses, or lighting, or-”

For the third time, Félix speaks against his cousin. “Don’t worry. If we have any issues,  _ I  _ will figure them out. I’ve done modeling shoots, too, I am sure that I have picked up enough.”

Adrien looks to Marinette with pleading eyes, while Félix just looks exasperated. “Please,  princess? You’ll let me help, won’t you?”

Marinette hesitates looking at her friends. She already has Luka and Félix for any future modelling, she doesn’t need any more male models...and Félix is right, having Adrien around would only cause stress and limits that Marinette does not need, especially if she’s doing a male and female shoot. She knows that Juleka can be overwhelmed at times, and she doesn’t want to make her friend uncomfortable, even if it wouldn’t bug Rose or Kagami… It’s not worth it.

Marinette smiles awkwardly. “Thank you, Adrien, but I have plenty of models. Maybe next time?”

Adrien smiles sweetly, although she sees the way his eyes shine in disappointment. “Of course! I’ll always be here when you need me.” Then he walks away, not hearing the way Félix snorts.

“So,” Marinette starts, turning to her friends. “Is everyone free tonight?” She’s met with nods from them all. “Want to start tonight, then? I’ll have sweets!”

They all cheer, and are cute off by the warning bell. Luka and Kagami leave, heading off to their classes, and the rest of her friends head back to their seats.

Her phone buzzes right as Miss Bustier walks in, and Marinette checks it quickly.

**Nino Lahiffe:** _If you want, I can make some background music to play while customers check out your site? Only if you want, dudette._

Marinette smiles, glancing at the boy who sits in the front, hiding his phone from his seatmate.

‘ _ That’d be wonderful! I can make you something in return, if you want? _ ’

‘ _ Nah. Just take it as a friend being a friend. Besides, I need something to do. _ ’

‘ _ Thank you, Nino! _ ’

‘ _ No prob, dudette. _ ’

Miss Bustier starts to speak, so Marinette slips her phone away with a smile.

She can’t wait for class to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me just say: I *love* the whole MDC idea that has been on Tumblr for a while. I've always wanted to try my own hand at it, and I thought it'd fit nicely into this story. But there was one thing- Marinette hasn't thrown the whole class to the wind, so it didn't make sense for her to be snappy when her friends asked for designs. So I thought I'd be a little more optimistic, and show how much her friends have changed. Gone are the constant demands for free stuff, now her friends see how much value they were taking for granted.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy my take on the idea, and have a wonderful night! Until next chapter~ <3


	33. Photoshoot

Chapter Thirty-Three

She didn’t expect her friends to be so... _ excited _ ...to help her, but here she is. It’s a beautiful Wednesday afternoon, the group has just gotten out of school, and they’re all rearing to go.

Marinette giggles as she watches her friends move around her rather cramped room, all eight of her friends bustling around the room to get ready. In one corner, Juleka is helping Rose with her mask, in another Kagami sits patiently while Chloé does her hair, complaining about how, “You always leave it in the same old style! Where’s some diversity? Come on, I know Dupa- Marinette has hair clips somewhere.”

Marinette turns her eyes to the males, seeing Luka as he helps Ivan into his costume. Nathaniel stands off to the side with Félix, both of them making last minute edits to her website’s format...which had been a whole ordeal of its own after school on Monday.

It was really fun, actually. Chloé had been surprisingly...nice? 

_ Chloé scoffed, looking at the site with disapproval. “ _ This  _ is what we’re working with?” She asked, voice filled with disgust that the blonde didn’t even attempt to mask. _

_ “Yeah? It’s free, so I thought-” Marinette tried, but the blonde waved her off. _

_ “I get it, free is free, but you have  _ options _ .” Chloé immediately left the site, finding a different one. _

_ “That’s a good one,” Nathaniel pointed out. “It’s the one I used to make my commission site.” _

_ Chloé clicked on it, looked at it for a moment, then hummed. “This will do.” She clicked around on a few sidebars. “Yeah, this will be good.” _

_ Marinette watched in awe as Chloé, Nathaniel, and Félix proceeded to create her website before her very eyes. It took her a moment to shake off her shock, hopping in herself to add her own thoughts. And, of course, the rest of her friends were happy to help. _

The day was interesting, and as the hours passed...they all started joking around. Marinette had never seen Chloé so kind, so open to what others said and did.

Ladybug really made a difference, huh?

No, this was Chloé’s doing. Chloé chose to change.

And now she’s back, standing in front of Marinette with a smirk on her face.

“Well, Marinette?” Chloé asks, shaking Marinette out of her thoughts.

“Huh?” Marinette responds eloquently. “Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts.”

“I asked you what you think,” Chloé repeats, gesturing at Kagami. The fencer, for her part, smiles softly at Marinette.

“You look cute!” Marinette says, and Kagami does. She’s back in the outfit Marinette had designed her, just like her other models, but now Chloé has pulled back some of her hair with a barrette of Marinette’s, and has curled the edges just a bit more than usual to give Kagami a look of elegance and sportiness at the same time. “You did great, Chloé.”

“Of course I did,” Chloé huffs, but Marinette doesn’t miss the smile on the blonde’s face. “I only do the  _ best _ .”

“So, if we’re all set,” Félix starts, walking over with a camera in hand, “are we ready to take pictures?”

“Yeah! It looks nice outside, want to take the pictures in the park?” Marinette asks her group, and they nod. So off they go, their giant group making their way through the house, out of the bakery (snatching a few pastries on the way), and into the park...where Adrien has a modelling shoot.

“And he wanted to be in your shoot,” Félix huffs. “The boy needs to learn about timing.”

Adrien glances up and spots them, then does a double take. He runs away from his set the moment his photographer stops taking pictures, waving to them.

“Hey, guys!” Adrien cheers, beaming. “You guys chose to do the shoot here?”

“Yeah, the weather was nice and the lighting seemed perfect!” Marinette says. “I didn’t know you’d be here, too.”

Adrien chuckles, rubbing his neck. “Yeah, Nathalie booked a last minute shoot.”

“They need to give you more free time!” Rose huffs, and Adrien shrugs.

“Yeah, but it’s rare.”

“Adrien!” His photographer shouts, and Adrien winces.

“That’s my cue to go…” Then he perks up. “I’m done after this, if you guys want to hang out or something? Or I can-”

“Adrien!”

“Maybe later,” Marinette says, and that’s all the blond needs to hear to finally head back to his shoot.

It’s silent for a few seconds, and then everyone starts getting into place. The short conversation becomes a blip on Marinette’s radar, and so does the model nearby, as she sets everything up and gets to work. 

She’s shocked by how seamlessly they work. Kitty Section poses with ease, and with some minute position changes from Félix, they’re ready for the camera. Then Kagami is posing, looking down at the camera with distaste as Marinette crouches, finding the perfect angle. After that, it’s a free for all. Chloé comes into the spotlight, wearing a light yellow sundress that Marinette had designed a few years ago. Félix sports a casual striped shirt, black beret, and some jewelry, and Juleka wears the more feminine version. Luka shows off a ripped jacket Marinette had made during her punk inspiration phase...and then the shoot becomes chaos as Jagged Stone shows up.

“Jagged?” Marinette asks as she’s suddenly being bear hugged by her favorite rock star. “What- what are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t figure out how to work the camera!” Jagged admits with a grin. “And besides, it wasn’t as fun to just snap a pic if I could come see my favorite niece instead.”

“How did you even know when we’d be doing the shoot?” The bluenette asks, and Chloé sighs.

“I was talking about it this morning,” she admits. “And Jagged Stone is staying at my hotel.”

“So I had her tell me all about it, and had Penny clear my schedule so I could pop in!” Jagged ends the explanation, and Marinette giggles.

“Well, you  _ did _ bring the glasses, so...hop on in! You’ll be my final photo for today.” Marinette decides, and Jagged practically  _ sprints _ into position.

“Should I do a serious pose?” Jagged asks, then grins. “Or one that’s more rock and roll?”

Marinette looks to Félix, who shrugs, looking somewhat surprised by the development. (He’s not the only one. Kitty Section looks ready to scream. Luka may have passed out for a second or two, but Marinette won’t mention it.) “Rock and roll?”

“Rock on, little man! I like you.” Jagged flashes the sign of the horns, smiling widely, and Marinette takes the photo. Just like that, it’s done.

“So,” Marinette starts, “who wants to go eat some sweets? My treat.”

\-----

Hours pass by, and soon it’s night. Marinette hums to herself as she puts the final photo into place. It looks, well, professional. The photos show off her talents, an array of styles and designs that she’s poured her heart into. The lighting is perfect, the angles make the clothes and the models look phenomenal.

She couldn’t have done it without her friends.

Marinette smiles as she saves the changes and uploads the site.

Then she falls asleep, dreaming of a future that shines brighter than the Parisian night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonjour, mes amants! I managed to write a little something for you guys, just an update on the whole MDC thing. I had fun writing this (I love giving Chlo more time on 'scene', you could say) and I hope you all enjoy this. 
> 
> Until next time~ <3


	34. A Crazy Little Thing...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> called Love.

Chapter Thirty-Four

_ Adrien _

“After school, you’ll be spending the rest of the day at your cousin Félix’s house,” Nathalie states, and so it is law. Adrien just nods as usual, although he looks forward to the decision.

After all, if he’s spending time with Félix, that means he won’t be working! Maybe the two can talk and become closer, too?

No matter what, Adrien is happier as he goes through the day. It’s a nice day, and everyone is getting ready for the weekend, excited that it’s a Friday.

The school day passes quickly, and soon he’s heading to Félix’s house. The ride over is quiet, both blonds taking a moment to check their phones for any notifications. Adrien only has a few texts, one from Nino and the other from Kim, so then he starts to look through his phone aimlessly.

He ends up looking at his photos. Gone are the pictures of Ladybug soaring through the sky, the blurry images of her leaping through the air, the stills where she smiles at the cameras. As the days have passed, Adrien has deleted more and more of her, removing her smiles and many, many expressions from his life, until all that remains is one singular photo, one of their very first fist bumps. He smiles at the picture, his heart skipping a beat. But it doesn’t beat for her, not anymore.

He scrolls back up, going back to the present. As the days pass, all that remains is pictures of him with his friends, cat memes...and  _ her _ . The light of his life. The moon to his sun. The sweetest and kindest girl who he’s ever met.

On his screen, Marinette smiles back at him. 

His heartbeat quickens and he knows his cheeks are as pink as the flower on her shirt, but he doesn’t care. He knows Félix is eyeing him, that he’s curious about Adrien’s change in mood, but he doesn’t pay his cousin any mind.

‘ _ I’ll fix this, _ ’ Adrien thinks, and he knows that everything will be better from here on out.

\-----

_ Félix _

Félix doesn’t speak as he gets out of the car, letting Adrien follow behind him like a lost puppy. He leads his cousin to his bedroom, and watches the blond as he enters.

He finds himself amused, watching Adrien marvel at his room. It’s nothing special, to be quite honest. Félix and his mother, although rich, opted to get a much smaller home than Gabriel picked out. (They both deemed the mansion tacky, a perfectly good waste of space and money.) Instead, they found a nice little home for themselves, with two stories, four bedrooms, and a rather nice kitchen space, if Félix does say so himself. 

His room is the second largest of the house, the largest going to his mother of course. It holds little. A bed lies in the corner, a bookshelf beside it. A desk sits across the room, tidy and without a single paper upon its surface. But the greatest part of his room isn’t the desk nor the books, and especially not the bed.

No, he chose it for the balcony. A lone glass door sits parallel to the entrance of his room, and shows a small balcony. Félix likes the balcony, and uses it as a place to sit and get a breath of fresh air when his room feels stuffy.

And Adrien seems to like it, too, as he ambles over and opens the door, slipping out onto the balcony. Félix follows, shutting the door behind them. 

“Wow. Your room is nice, Félix,” Adrien says, and Félix hums.

“Thank you,” he says, polite as always. 

Adrien fidgets, tugging on the base of his ring finger, squirming in his spot. He’s uncomfortable with the silence, that much is clear.

At last, he speaks. “So, how have you liked Dupont so far? You’ve been here for...a week now, right?”

“Roughly two,” Félix corrects, but he brushes aside the mistake otherwise. “It’s been pleasant. While I do believe some of your classmates need to work on their… personalities, many of them are great.” He smiles, thinking of a certain bluenette. “I do enjoy sitting with Marinette. She makes for a wonderful seatmate.”

It doesn’t take a genius to see how quickly Adrien perks up the moment Félix mentions the girl. 

“Oh, Mari? She’s amazing!” He sighs, it’s full of longing and Félix has to fight to keep a scowl off of his face. “She was one of my first friends at the school. We went through a bit of a rough patch from the whole Lila thing, but we’re getting through it.”

“I know,” Félix states, because he truly does. He’d asked the bluenette for an explanation a few days ago, and had listened with patience as she explained the whole disaster of a class she’d had. (She even made a diagram, it was endearing.)

Adrien looks to the sky, but Félix can still see his face clearly. “I really like her. She’s our everyday Ladybug, you know?” He chuckles awkwardly. “I just wish I’d seen it earlier. Did you know she used to have a crush on me?” 

“Yes. She told me that, too.” It’d been part of the rant, and had its own part on a flowchart. That had been less endearing, as Marinette had explained  _ why _ she liked his cousin. He’s glad that she doesn’t feel this way now.

“She did?” Somehow, Adrien finds a way to be  _ more _ excited. “Do- do you think that means she likes me again? Do you think she’d say yes if I asked her out?”

“It’s highly unlikely,” Félix states, eye twitching. “Considering that, after telling me, she proceeded to explain in vivid detail all of the things you did that turned her away.”

“Oh…” Adrien shrinks in on himself, shoulders hunching as he looks to the street. “Hey, Félix?”

He sighs. “Yes, Adrien?”

“Do you think I have a chance? To win her over again? I really like her, and I…” he trails off.

Félix thinks carefully about his next words. Because he doesn’t want to give Adrien hope, he doesn't want him to continue pursuing Marinette for multiple reasons. For one, Marinette has been hurt by Adrien’s actions, or rather his inaction. Marinette deserves better than Adrien, better than a living doormat. And...and Félix doesn’t want Marinette to be whisked away by Adrien, when he’s so clearly the better Agreste.

But Adrien is his cousin, and while he has flaws...he can be better. Most people can change, and Félix knows Adrien is among the majority.

So he sighs. “There is a chance. But you can’t expect anything to work out, Adrien. You two may be friends now, and you may be greater friends in the future, but you’re not bound to end up together. Love isn’t some destiny, and just because she liked you once doesn’t mean she’ll like you again.”

Adrien  _ laughs _ . He laughs, as if Félix is joking. As if Félix is wrong.

Then he speaks.

“Love is a destiny, though!” Adrien states, as if saying the sky is blue. “Love is fate. Sure, you can fall for the wrong people, but this is the way life is. Love is magical, it’s  _ miraculous _ . People are tied together through the red string of fate, destined at birth to be together.”

Félix blinks at Adrien. “And you believe  _ Marinette _ is bound to you, to be your one true love?”

Adrien nods, eyes wide and somewhat wild. He’s grinning like a madman as he says, “Of course! Only Marinette has seen me so clearly, has seen the real me, and has fallen for me all the same. Marinette looked for more than my looks, or the perfect personality I put on so father will be happy. Marinette sees  _ me _ , all of me, and that’s proof enough. She loved me more than any other could, and I know, if I act correctly, she’ll love me again.”

The words don’t sit right, none of Adrien’s words fall into place correctly. Félix finds himself leaning back, his body just as uneased. 

He feels his phone buzz in his pocket, and he blinks. He wipes the frown off of his face, replacing it with a smile. “I see. If that is the case… perhaps you are right.” The words disgust him.

“Thanks, Fe!” Adrien cheers. “I knew you’d have my side.” He leans in for a hug, too excited to contain himself.

Félix swipes Adrien’s phone out of his pocket, tucking it into his own before leaning back. “I need to use the restroom,” he states, “I’ll be back.”

Adrien is none the wiser.

Félix locks the bathroom door before taking out Adrien’s phone. There has to be something on here, something to explain where Adrien is getting these ridiculous ideas. Félix can work around that, can prove why Adrien is wrong if he has something to go off of.

(He’s dealt with too many people, too many idiots who believed opinions over facts. He won’t let Adrien be a fool like that.)

He finds Adrien’s photo app, and clicks on it.

Félix holds back a shout as Marinette’s face fills the screen.

“What the bloody hell?” Félix mutters to himself, quickly scrolling through. Picture after picture pops up, all of her. 

Félix feels sick when he notices something. One minute detail that makes this all so much worse.

She isn’t looking at the camera in  _ any _ of the pictures. It’s always a side profile, or her eyes are locked onto something else. She’s seemingly unaware of the phone being aimed at her.

Félix takes photos of Adrien’s phone and saves them quickly, in case he needs to pull this up later. And then he barges out of the bathroom, yelling, “Adrien Agreste, explain yourself right now!”

Adrien pops his head through the balcony door, asking, “Did you say something?”

“Yes,” Félix huffs out. “You and I need to have a long, hard talk.” He scrolls through Adrien’s contacts, pointedly ignoring the one labeled  _ Princess _ , and asks, “Who’s your friend? The boy with the hat. Nino, correct?” Adrien nods. “I refuse to do this alone. We’re having company.”

One quick call and a few texts later, and Félix is tucking Adrien’s phone back into his pocket.

“You better get comfortable,” Félix advises with a cold tone and narrowed eyes. “Because you’ll be here for a while.”

Adrien gulps, and sits down.

Félix already knows it’ll be a long evening. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day! It looks like our little Adrien has a crush on Marinette, aww! And yet...this isn't going quite how one would expect. Huh.


	35. A Nice Chat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About Boundaries and Not Being Creepy

Chapter Thirty-Five

_ Nino _

He thought he’d have a nice afternoon. He thought he’d get to spend the evening relaxing, maybe work on a new mix or something. He thought he’d have fun, that he’d be able to enjoy himself.

Clearly, he thought wrong.

Nino knew he was wrong, that he wouldn’t be working on a new song, when he saw Adrien’s face pop up on his phone’s screen. 

And he most definitely knew he was wrong when Adrien’s voice didn’t come through, but his cousin’s.

“Nino,” Félix growled out, voice somewhere between exhaustion and boiling rage, “you better get your ass over here right now or so help me God-”

That’s all it took for Nino to come running, quickly getting an address from Félix to head to.

And now here he is. Here he is, finding out that his bro, his  _ best bro _ , isn’t as innocent and pure as he once thought.

“This is worse than Nette  _ ever _ got,” Nino whispers to himself, scrolling through the dozens, no,  _ hundreds _ of pictures on Adrien’s phone. How did he even get so many? When did he take these? Nino doesn’t remember anything about the settings, doesn’t remember Adrien ever pulling his phone out while they were talking or in class. How did this happen?

“I, I just-” Adrien tries, but Félix cuts him off.

“Just  _ what _ , Adrien? Do you realize that this is  _ illegal _ ?!” Félix bites out, and Nino can see the way Adrien pales.

“What? But it’s harmless! It’s just a few pictures, how is it-”

“She didn’t consent to any of these,” Félix pulls the phone away from Nino, shoving the screen into Adrien’s face. “And do you know why I can tell, why  _ anyone _ with more than two brain cells can tell?”

“Why?” Adrien squeaks out.

“She isn’t looking at the  _ fucking  _ camera!” Félix slams the phone onto his nearby bookshelf, the noise makes Nino flinch. “Adrien, if Marinette hears about this, you’ll be lucky if she doesn’t sue.”

“She wouldn’t sue me!” Adrien protests. “She’s too sweet!” 

“Bro, that doesn’t make it okay!” Nino shouts, temper rising. 

“She did the same! Why is it okay that she did it, but not me?” Adrien shouts back, eyes full of confusion, but narrowed with defensiveness. “Why am I bad for doing the  _ exact same thing _ ?”

“Because you’re an Agreste, and she is a Dupain-Cheng,” Félix says with a sigh. “She’s just a normal girl with a normal life, and you...you are a model. A well known model, who is paid to have their picture plastered all over Paris. From what I understand, Marinette got those pictures of you from your modelling shoots. She has consent, because you consented to take those pictures.” 

“And I’ve seen the photos,” Nino says. “In all of the ones that she took personally, you were with a group of friends. And you were smiling at the camera. You always knew what was happening, man. She doesn’t.”

“And she’s not a public figure, she’s not expected to be plastered all over Paris or to consent to pictures,” Félix adds, reaching for the phone again and opening it. “That’s why you’re in the wrong, while she was...passable.” 

“So it’s because of my career? So it’s creepy if I do it because I’m a model, but she’s-”

“No, dude, it was still creepy,” Nino cuts off Adrien with a frown. “It’s ten times worse because you’re not getting consent, but it was still weird to see so many pictures of you. She had it bad, man.”

“And I have it bad!”

“Show it some other way,” Félix scoffs. “Just...not this! Nothing illegal, or that’ll get you sued. God, that’s just...disgusting.”

Adrien pouts, and for a moment, Nino just wants to shake his bro, or maybe hit his father, because how could this have happened.

But then Adrien nods, and Nino sighs in relief. “Okay. I’ll...I’ll delete the photos.”

“Oh, I already have,” Félix says, calmer now.

“What?!” Adrien leaps up, snatching his phone from Félix. “Why did you-”

“I didn’t trust you to do it yourself. You’ve proven yourself to be rather...deceptive.” Félix glares at his cousin. “And, quite frankly, I’m rather sickened by your infatuation with Mari.”

Adrien glares back at Félix. “And why is  _ that _ ?”

“Well, it’s borderline obsessive. No, wait, it  _ is  _ obsessive. And Marinette deserves better.”

Adrien laughs. “Better? No one is better for her than me! We went over this already!” 

They did? Nino isn’t sure if he wants to know.

“Oh, there’s  _ much _ better,” Félix is calm, too calm.

“Like who? You?” Adrien jokes.

“Absolutely.” 

Okay, so maybe Nino  _ does _ want to know.

“You have a crush on Nette?” Nino blurts out, and Félix looks to him.

And he grins. And Adrien scowls behind his cousin.

And Nino knows that he’s not going to be making his new song tonight, because now Adrien is yelling at Félix for liking “his princess” and Félix is scolding Adrien for his obsession.

Damn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think? <3


	36. Eden

Chapter Thirty-Six

To be quite honest, Marinette is somewhat wary of new students by this point. Sure, she’s met some good ones, like Kagami and Félix, and she’s met some people that she’s sure, with a little guidance,  _ can  _ be good ones, like Adrien...but there’s also been the backstabbers like Alya, and the manipulators like Lila.

And now Marinette is staring at the newest girl, who she can’t quite decide how to categorize. Because she’s new, she’s unfamiliar, and everything is a guessing game until the girl plays her cards.

It was just a simple Monday morning. Marinette had been happy, walking into the school. There’d been no Akuma attacks, not a single one! As such, the bluenette was able to spend some of her time working on Jagged’s designs, and was happy with the results. It was good, it was pleasant, and it was, dare she say it, normal.

And then she came to school. She walked in, on time, thank you very much, and sat in the back with Félix. Félix had been happy to greet her, although he seemed rather...tense… when Adrien waved to her.

“What’s the matter?” She asked, wondering if something happened over the weekend, but the blond just shrugged her off.

“He’s made some poor life decisions, and while he  _ is _ learning, he is still as dense as a rock.”

That...explained nothing, to be quite honest, but Marinette knew better than to push. Sometimes it was better to let sleeping dogs lie, yeah?

Though it didn’t explain why she caught Adrien glaring at Félix, or the sudden exasperation Nino seemed to have when Adrien spoke. Maybe she was misunderstanding the situation, though. After all, she couldn’t hear what the boys were saying all the way in the front, maybe Nino was upset with Gabriel Agreste’s scheduling again?

(She’s lucky that she couldn’t hear them.)

But that was fine. Like everything else, it would be resolved eventually. Marinette just talked to her friends, enjoyed the company she had, and when the warning bell rang she pulled out her stuff and prepared for a normal, casual day.

Then Miss Bustier walked in, leading a new student into the classroom.

And that leads us to right now, where Marinette is staring at this new girl, unsure what to think, what to say.

‘ _ Don’t judge a book by its cover, _ ’ she thinks to herself, yet she can’t help but be cautious. 

The girl smiles at the class. “Hi, everyone!” She greets them all with a little wave. “My name is Eden, and I just transferred here from Collège Pierre de Ronsard. I look forward to spending the rest of the school year with all of you, and I’m sure it will be a miraculous one!”

The class smiles back, greeting her kindly. Marinette smiles, too. The girl seems sweet and enthusiastic, and more excited to meet them than to tell them about herself. She seems nice.

“The only remaining seat is by Alya,” Miss Bustier says to Eden. “Will that be alright?”

“Oh, of course!” Eden says cheerfully, then slips into the spot beside Alya. Alya, for her part, smiles at Eden and introduces herself, and then classes start.

So...maybe it’s a normal day?

\-----

It’s a normal day, all things considered. Eden seems like a sweet girl, and introduces herself to the class during lunch, flitting from table to table. She reminds Marinette of a bee, buzzing around, constantly trying to get stuff done.

She kind of reminds Marinette of herself, actually. 

The similarities don’t end there, and Marinette would be blind to say otherwise. 

“She looks like you,” Kagami points out as she watches Eden as she gestures excitedly, talking to Rose and Juleka.

She does. Eden has nearly the same blue hair as Marinette, only a few shades too bright, and even wears it in the exact same pigtails. Heck, even her hair elastics are red! (Although that may be in order to match the red top she’s wearing.) It’s odd, that’s for sure.

And then Eden comes to their table, and Marinette notices another similarity. Both have bright, bluebell eyes. Huh.

“Hi! You’re Marinette, the class representative, right?” Eden asks, and Marinette nods, still locking eyes with the new girl. “It’s great to meet you! I’ve heard such good things about you before. You’re MDC, right? Marinette Dupain-Cheng?”

“Yeah, I am,” Marinette confirms, and Eden squeals.

“That’s so cool! You’re practically famous at my old school. We heard about your Jagged Stone designs, and that hat? To  _ die _ for.”

“Thank you,” Marinette says gratefully. “I didn’t know my name was out there that much.”

“Really? But you’re so talented!” Eden says, and Marinette can’t help but be embarrassed by the praise. She can hear the way Félix chuckles beside her, sensing her flustered discomfort, and sinks into her seat a bit.

“Oh, thank you, Eden.” She straightens then, smiling wider. “What about you? What do you like to do?”

“Me? I like to do gymnastics!” Eden says, practically bouncing on her toes. “Been doing flips and tricks before I could really even walk.”

“Do you compete?” Kagami asks, intrigued.

“Occasionally. I’m rather busy with, well, school and all, so it’s mainly just a hobby.” Eden shrugs. “I enjoy it, though.”

“That’s what matters,” Luka agrees, and Eden giggles.

“Exactly! Well, it was nice meeting you guys, and I hope we’ll all be good friends soon enough!” And with that, she’s racing away, off to talk to Kim and Max.

“She seems...excited,” Kagami states simply, and Marinette giggles.

“Yeah. She’s nice, too.” Marinette beams. “It’s nice to get new students like her, and like you, Félix, instead of… you know.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Félix muses idly, eyes wandering as they scan the room. 

They lock on Eden when she heads over to Adrien and Nino. 

Marinette doesn’t see the way Eden talks to Adrien, just as bubbly. She doesn’t see the way Adrien eyes her wearily, gaze darting between the new girl and herself. She doesn’t see the way Adrien tenses, nor does she see how Nino catches on to Adrien’s discomfort.

But Félix does.

Marinette, though? Marinette just hums to herself as lunch ends, happy to head back to class. She looks forward to the days to come, and hopes she and Eden will get to talk more in the future. After all, Marinette has never met someone with so much energy, so much drive to meet people and just...get stuff done. She’s never met someone so...like  _ her. _

Marinette does find one thing unnerving, though, and that’s how close she seems to be with Alya already. It’s odd, seeing her previous best friend getting so comfortable with someone who looks like a copy of her.

But Marinette keeps her mouth shut, because she won’t judge a book by its cover. And besides, it’s good for Alya to have friends, and for Eden to find her own pals. She won’t be the person to isolate others, or to separate what could be a beautiful friendship.

She’s better than that, and so she hopes that Eden will be happy.

And she has a completely normal day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How cute, it seems that Marinette is making a new friend! <3


	37. A Little Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And a Lot of Pain

Chapter Thirty-Seven

It’s a normal Tuesday morning, but lunch time comes and it’s not quite so normal after that.

God damn Akumas. God damn Hawkmoth. One day,  _ one day _ , Marinette is going to figure out who that man is, and then it’s all over for him. But she doesn’t know who he is right now, and so she’s stuck fighting Mr. Pigeon for what feels like the millionth time.

She’s going to flip if Hawkmoth uses that poor man one more time, because her ‘normal’ shouldn’t include fighting a bird fanatic. Seriously, does the man know what creativity is? (She doesn’t want to even  _ think _ about some of Hawkmoth’s Akuma designs. She might cry.)

Between Ladybug, Arctic Fox, and Belle Abeille, the fight is over in four minutes. Not their best record, but there had been a pause as Belle Abeille and Arctic Fox complained about how they’d been enjoying their lunch and talking with their friends...and Ladybug was too busy blushing to stop them, because they’d all been eating together.

Lunch is nearly over when Marinette finally returns. Kagami and Luka arrive seconds later, and they head back into the school together.

Marinette has never been so grateful that Félix went home for lunch, because there’s no  _ way _ all three would be able to sneak off otherwise. She’ll have to do something to make sure they can deal with that problem in the future...hmmm…

Her thoughts are cut off by the sound of someone dropping into the desk. She looks up to find Eden, who currently has her face planted on her desk.

“What’s wrong, girl?” Alya asks, and Marinette leans in to hear. 

Eden groans, then pries her head back up. “Nothing. I just...Mr. Pigeon? Again?! Come on, at least he’s an easy fight for, for Ladybug, but he’s so boring! Where’s some creativity?”

Ah. A kindred soul.

“Thank you!” Marinette huffs out, and Eden turns to look at her. “How many times has it even  _ been _ now? Twenty times?”

“Twenty-two,” Eden says, nose crinkling. “Trust me, I kept track.”

Marinette believes it. “Poor man. He must be so disoriented by now, constantly under Hawkmoth’s influence.”

“Especially when Akumas don’t remember what they did,” Rose points out, frowning. “I feel bad for him.”

“I do, too, but he keeps breaking the law!” Sabrina says, face red as she defends her father. “He’s not supposed to feed the birds in the parks, but he keeps ‘forgetting.’”

“Aren’t there areas that he  _ could _ feed them?” Félix asks, and Marinette shrugs.

“He could always feed them from his window, right?” She asks, and Sabrina hums.

“I’m not sure. I’ll have to ask my dad to look into it. Maybe we can stop Mr. Ramier from becoming an Akuma in the future.”

Eden beams. “That’d be amazing! Thank you, Sabrina!”

Sabrina blushes again, then nods. “Of course!”

Class starts, and Marinette smiles at her class. They’re a force for good, aren’t they? All of them working together, trying to fix the world even just a little.

She’s proud of them.

Her pride blinds her vision, and she doesn’t see the way Félix studies Eden before shrugging, turning his gaze away.

\-----

Two Akumas in one day? That’s it, it’s decided. Marinette is going fucking feral on this man, this man who somehow has the time and the nerve to send out multiple Akumas in a single day.

She’s just lucky she was alone when the alert went off. Well, ‘alone’, because she had let all of the Kwami out so they could spend some time outside. But still. 

Ladybug just wants to relax, is that too much to ask? But  _ no _ .

“Doesn’t Hawkmoth have better things to do?” Arctic Fox asks as he leaps across rooftops beside her, eyes searching for their newest foe.

“Clearly not,” Belle Abeille states, landing on Ladybug’s other side. “Or we wouldn’t be transformed right now, now would we?”

“Let’s just get this over with,” Ladybug mutters. “I want to go home and relax.”

Neither of her partners disagree, and so the rest of their search is silent, only the sound of their feet hitting the rooftops and the wind in their ears to be heard.

And then they find their opponent, and Ladybug wants to shout.

“He’s on  _ fire _ ?!” Ladybug hisses out instead, staring at the Akumatized villain with wide eyes. 

“As if the last time wasn’t bad enough,” Arctic whispers, and Ladybug gulps. She touches her neck lightly, then pulls her hand away to grab her yoyo.

Now isn’t the time for...reminiscing. 

Ladybug lets her eyes scan the Akuma, letting the little details fall into place. Unlike Hothead, who was bold and brash, this fire seems to be more...excited, sparking around, darting to and fro. It’s shorter, too, and despite being completely covered in fire, they have a feminine shape underneath. She seems calmer, happier, and for a moment Ladybug wonders why the girl is Akumatized.

Then the fire girl turns and lifts up her hand. A jet of fire rushes out, melting a car in seconds. The girl shrinks for a moment, then returns to her original size as she stops shooting out the fire stream.

“Oh Elise,” the girl crows, voice sweet and bubbly. “Don’t you want to talk? Or am I too  _ excitable _ for you?” She giggles, but it’s manic. “Come on out, Elise, I don’t bite.”

Ladybug hears a whimpering, and glances down. A girl hides in the alley below her, shaking as she stares at the fiery girl. She seems to be Ladybug’s age...and she’s terrified.

The Akuma hears the girl too. “Elise!” She cheers. “Come, come, don’t you want to see your little spark?” She laughs. “You always did say I’m a Little Fire, no? Well now I am!”

“I- I’m sorry!” Elise cries out, and Little Fire lifts her arm up, ready to fire. Ladybug sees this.

And Ladybug dives into the alley, scooping Elise up and shielding her as Little Fire opens fire.

She’s knocked out of the way in the blink of an eye, but one measly blink is enough for her to scream in pain. Elise curls in her arms, letting out a cry of her own. Ladybug feels herself pulled up by Belle Abeille’s spinning top, out of the way as Arctic Fox attacks, wild and vicious.

It hurts. Even with the suit’s protection, Ladybug feels like she’s overheating, like her skin has been cooked more than the bread her parents make everyday. She opens her mouth to talk, it hurts.

Elise is fine, if a little red. And a little scared, staring up at Ladybug with wide eyes.

“You saved me,” Elise whispers.

“Part of my duty,” Ladybug winks, it hurts. 

Elise still seems awe stricken, but Belle Abeille cuts off anything the girl may say. 

“Ladybug,” Belle starts, leaning over to look the bluenette in the eyes. “Are you alright?”

Ladybug smiles, ignoring the way her skin feels tight on her face. “Yeah, just peachy.” She stands up, her muscles stretching, pulling. She glances at Elise, then frowns. “You need to hide. The Akuma, Little Fire, is looking specifically for  _ you _ . That fire will hurt if you get spotted.”

“Of course!” Elise says, getting up. “I, I- thank you!” Then she’s gone, running to the fire escape that’s at the edge of the roof and climbing down quickly.

As soon as the girl is gone, Ladybug sags in on herself. “Belle,” she whispers. “I think we need backup.”

“That would be wise,” Belle agrees immediately, “considering we are facing a living fire. One that you  _ jumped into the view of _ , might I add.”

“I couldn’t let her get hurt!” Ladybug defends, even as she winces. “The poor girl would be traumatized. The Miraculous Cure can fix my injuries, it can’t fix her trauma.”

“It can’t fix yours, either,” Belle Abeille points out, voice sharp. 

A flash of black crosses her vision, almost like a dream. Fire and destruction dance in her head. “I know,” she whispers, not seeing the way Belle’s eyes soften.

She stares at Little Fire, watching how Arctic stays on the offense, never giving the girl a chance to raise her arm. He’s smart, keeping his distance, but his actions grow careless as he throws his all against her. “He’s not supposed to go in so close,” Ladybug mutters. “He’s supposed to stay in the shadows. Why is he so close?”

“We needed a distraction,” Belle Abeille points out. “He’s doing just fine.” She changes the subject before Ladybug can speak. “Who do you want for the distraction? Reptilitany again?”

“Time won’t help, not enough. We need to be up close and personal, as much as I’d rather not be.” Too much fire, too much pain. “We need, we need…”

A flash of black, char and ashes.

“We need the Cat.”

A flash of grey, and suddenly Ladybug is grinning.

“And I know  _ exactly _ who to get.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like the cat is being dragged in...and some foul memories.
> 
> I wonder what the next chapter will look like. Until then! <3


	38. Chat Ruse

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Ladybug knows that she must look a little odd, because she still feels pain with every swing she takes and every movement she makes, but she didn’t expect such open confusion and concern from Félix.

“Hello?” He gets out, standing up from his seat, shutting his book. “Are you alright, Miss Ladybug?”

“Just call me Ladybug, Félix,” Ladybug says quickly, then glances around. No one sees her, but she’d rather be safer… “Can we please step inside?”

An eyebrow raises, then he nods. “Alright, Ladybug.” He opens his balcony door, letting Ladybug in.

It’s not her first time over, she had lunch at Félix’s house just last week, so Ladybug doesn’t take a moment to check out his room. Instead Ladybug stands, waiting until Félix shuts the door and turns back around. Then she pulls out a hexagonal box and starts to speak.

“Félix Agreste, I present to you the Miraculous of the Cat. With this, you will have the power of Destruction at your fingertips, and will be able to destroy things with the whisper of the word ‘cataclysm’. I need your help to defeat the Akuma Little Fire, and then I will need the Miraculous back. Will you help me?”

Félix blinks at her slowly, then nods. “It would be an honor, Mi- Ladybug, sorry.” 

Ladybug beams, it still hurts but it feels lessened, knowing she’ll have help by her side. She hands over the box. He opens it with a steady hand, and then startles as a black ball of light shoots out.

“Man, what’s with all of the commotion?” Plagg whines, then looks at Félix. “Ooh, are you the new cat? Got any cheese?”

“Cheese? I have some gougères if you want-”

“Where’d they come from?” Plagg cuts him off quickly, eyes narrowing as he floats closer to Félix.

“The Dupain-Cheng bakery,” Félix says with a small smile. “Would you like them?”

“They’re a pretty good one,” Plagg drawls out, sending Ladybug a wink when Félix goes to the door.

“I’ll be right back,” Félix promises. When he shuts the door, Ladybug hears a faint shrieking sound. She chooses to ignore it, turning to Plagg instead.

“What do you think?” She whispers.

“Good kid. Goes to the right bakers, at least,” Plagg responds.

“Plagg.”

“I like him so far, I suppose? I trust you, bug, I’ll choose him if you choose him.”

“I do.”

“Then I guess I get another Agreste.” But then his laid back demeanor drops, and he looks at Ladybug with a frown. “But can you handle this? I know you were worried, just facing a fire Akuma. You  _ really _ want to bring me back  _ now _ ?”

“Yes. I need him. I need to...to push through. And besides, it’s one fight!” She nods to herself, determined. 

“Mhmm,” Plagg hums, but Ladybug doesn’t have time to respond as Félix pushes the door back open. “About time, kid! I’m starving!”

As Plagg devours the small cheese pastries, Félix eyes the ring which still sits in its box.

“So I just wear this and say some magic words, and I’ll be a cat hero?” He asks incredulously, and Ladybug nods.

“That’s how it works. The phrase to transform is ‘claws out’, and ‘claws in’ to detransform.”

“What’s the situation with the Akuma right now?” Félix asks, slipping the ring on his finger. “How bad is it, that the cat is finally coming back out and your skin is half as red as your suit?”

“It’s that bad?” Ladybug cringes, and Félix nods. “It’s pretty bad. The name is Little Fire. Seems upset, possibly because their friend was making fun of how excitable they are? They shoot fire out of their palms, and are covered in fire. I couldn’t see the object before I got hit. Any other questions?” A quick glance shows that Plagg is on his final pastry. (She doesn’t think he needed those yet, but she won’t deny the Kwami this. He’s been patient with her lackluster feeding compared to what he used to have, she’ll give him this moment...even if it’s something she gives him every week…)

“Why did you come to me?” Félix asks, pulling her attention back. “You have all of Paris, why me?”

“Let’s just say a friend of yours gave you a stunning review, okay?” Ladybug says with a wink. “She and I have talked a few times, and she was singing your praises.”

Félix blushes a bit, then nods. “Well, I’d hate to let Marinette down.”

“Marinette?” She coughs. “How- how did you know?”

“Only Marinette would see a superhero and start talking about how great her friends are,” Félix says, smiling gently. Then his gaze grows sharper, and he glances to Plagg. “Plagg, right? Are you ready?”

“Yeah, let’s do this.” Plagg floats over, and Félix lifts up his hand.

“Plagg, claws out!” A flash of black consumes him, and then Ladybug is left to stare at her new Chat Noir.

Except...he’s not exactly the second half. His costume is similar, keeping the leather look that Chat Noir seemed to love, but losing the bell and taking on a light shade of black, suddenly more of a very dark Chat Gris. His hair becomes wild, and two dark gray ears poke out on top. He has a tail belt much like Chat Noir, but his staff attaches to his hip, connecting to a holster that makes his belt actually do something. When he opens his eyes, they’re an icy blue.

He’s like a toned down Chat Noir, from the coloration to the accessorization. For some reason, the changes make Ladybug breathe a little lighter.

His eyes snap to hers, and he tips his head to gesture to the balcony door. “Shall we go, Ladybug?”

“Let’s go, Chat, uh,” really, you’d think she’d be better at this whole ‘getting their name before trying to call them something else’ thing.

“Chat Ruse,” he smirks, and Ladybug laughs.

“Alright, Chat Ruse, let’s go put out a fire.”

\-----

When the cat and bug reach the scene, Ladybug wonders who she’s saving more: Paris or Little Fire. 

She wonders this, because Arctic Fox still seems to be on the attack. He’s breathing heavy now, clearly having never stopped, but he’s not giving up. 

Belle Abeille sighs with relief as she sees them approach. “Finally.” She keeps her eyes on the Akuma as she speaks. “I’ve been able to stop her from hitting him, but Arctic can’t keep going. He needs to stop.” She looks to Ladybug for just a second, and Ladybug spots her bloody nose. “And everytime I tried to go down there to get him out, I got too close to be effective.” 

“That’s why Chat Ruse is here to help us.”

“Want me to distract her?” Chat Ruse asks as his eyes flit around, tracking every motion below. “Or should I-”

He’s cut off by Little Fire’s angered screaming. The Akuma lifts up her arm and shoots it at a nearby car just as Arctic leaps back. “Stop getting in my way!” Little Fire screams as she shrinks down a bit, then stops. Quickly, the girl grows back to her normal size.

Chat Ruse nudges Ladybug’s shoulder. “Call your Lucky Charm.”

Ladybug blinks, but follows Chat Ruse’s command. “Lucky charm!” She cries out, and is quickly given...a mason jar?

“Purr-fect,” Chat Ruse...oh God did he just pun? Is that a cat thing, or an Agreste thing?

She doesn’t have time to ask, because Chat Ruse is snatching the polka-dotted jar and leaping off of the roof, landing with a thud.

“Hey!” Chat Ruse calls out, and Little Fire snaps her gaze to him. “Hawkmoth wants my Miraculous, doesn’t he?” From the way a purple outline appears on the Akuma’s face, Ladybug knows her attention is taken. “Then come  _ get it _ .” Then he’s leaping away as Little Fire shoots a jet of fire at him.

“You will give me your Miraculous!” Little Fire screams. “And then I’ll make Elise  _ pay _ .”

“With one lousy stream of fire?” Chat Ruse asks, then laughs. “Takes more than one quick burst to catch a cat.”

“I know a thousand ways to skin one of you, and there’s even more ways to  _ incinerate _ another!” Little Fire shouts angrily, and then she’s shooting more fire at him, this time a continuous blast. Chat Ruse darts and ducks, avoiding her aim and circling around her. Ladybug takes this as a chance to swing down and grab Arctic Fox, who’s still recovering.

And bleeding.

“She hit you, too?” Ladybug asks, and Arctic huffs.

“Got a good blow when I got too close.” He stands up, smiling down at her wearily, but his teeth are covered in red. “But are you alright?”

“I’m fine, we need to get you out of reach. Maybe you can conjure up an illusion and-”

“Aha!” A thump of glass hitting the ground makes Ladybug snap her gaze over to Chat Ruse, who beams like the cat who caught the canary...or the Cat who caught the Akuma, in this case.

Because sitting there, in the tiny mason jar, is Little Fire, who is pounding at the glass and shrieking. It’s barely audible, more like a squeak that Ladybug only hears as she goes closer.

And she’s...dimming.

“How did you do that?” Ladybug asks in awe, and Chat Ruse shrugs.

“Everytime she shot fire she got smaller. Every time she stopped she got bigger again. Figured if she just didn’t stop-”

“She’d just keep shrinking!” Ladybug catches on. “And she needs oxygen to refuel, so the jar traps most of it out and smothers the fire!” She crouches with a wince, eyes darting over the little Akuma, who pounds against the glass. A small bracelet shimmers purple, and Ladybug grins. “Alright, let’s do this.”

Seamlessly, Belle Abeille tilts the jar up enough that Chat Ruse can reach under and use the claw on his glove to slash the bracelet lightly, letting the Akuma out. Belle quickly moves the jar out of the way, and Ladybug catches the Akuma and purifies it.

“Now hand me that jar, please, so I can stop feeling like a stretched rubber band,” Ladybug instructs, and Belle hands over the jar. “Miraculous Ladybug!” 

As the ladybugs fly around her, Ladybug feels rejuvenated, no longer hot and uncomfortable. She glances at her teammates, and smiles at the lack of blood. 

(Later, she’ll worry over how hard the fight was. Later, she’ll worry about what this means for the future. For now, she relaxes.)

“Ladybug?” The girl asks, voice shaking. “Oh no, was I Akumatized?”

Chat nods, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You were. Are you alright? Do you need help heading home?”

The girl shakes her head frantically, eyes darting around. “No. No, I need to go apologize! Elise! Elise!” She starts to sprint away, then looks over her shoulder and shouts, “Thank you!” before darting around the corner.

Ladybug looks to her teammates. “Good job, guys. You can go back to whatever you were doing, hopefully we don’t have to do this again too soon.” 

“Goodbye, Ladybug,” Belle Abeille says, “and you as well, Chat Ruse.”

“Nice meeting you, Chat Ruse,” Arctic says. “Hope to see you in the future. Till next time, Ladybug!” And just like that, her Fox and her Bee are disappearing over the skyline, leaping on rooftops.

_ Beep _ . Ladybug’s earrings scream in her ears, and Ladybug groans. “I have to get you home quickly before I detransform so I can take your Miraculous.”

“I can walk, Ladybug,” Chat Ruse says calmly, then heads over to an alleyway. Ladybug follows, and when they’re sure the coast is clear he detransforms. 

“Thank you for your help today,” Ladybug says. “That was incredibly brave, and incredibly smart as well.”

Félix shrugs, smiling softly. “Like I said, I can’t let Marinette down.” Then, with a final nod, Félix slips out of the alley as if nothing is unusual, heading home.

Ladybug detransforms the second she’s in her room, and promptly falls asleep.

Fuck. Hawkmoth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonjour! I know all of you expected the holder, but as for the name?  
I have two reasons:  
1\. It sounds like "Chartreux", a cute cat that's known for their 'blue' fur (which is a type of grey fur)...and our (fanon) boy has some pretty blue-grey eyes, wouldn't you say? (Yes, yes I really went there. My ideas are always stretches, sorry.)  
2\. Ruse: a trick, an action that's done with the intention of deception. Our (canon) boy is a rather great magician who's great at deceiving people, isn't he?
> 
> So yeah. I wanted a way to blend fanon and canon, just a bit, while also giving a wink and a nod to a real cat. (Hopefully the name is better than Repti's, haha!) <3


	39. "Hero Scout"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fe questions a few oddities, and comes to a new conclusion of his own.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Félix was surprised when Ladybug appeared on his balcony last week. How could he  _ not _ be? It’s not every day that a spotted superhero hops out of the sky and goes, “Hey, remember my superhero partner who can no longer fight by my side? The cat hero that was with me since the beginning. Yeah, now  _ you _ can be my partner. But you’re temporary. Oh and also your cute friend recommended you to me! Let’s go fight someone who’s a  _ walking bonfire _ .”

Okay, maybe that’s not  _ exactly _ what happened, but it sure felt like it! But he has to admit, being Chat Ruse was...fun. Liberating. A dose of freedom and excitement that Félix has never known before.

And now here he is again, spending his Monday afternoon fighting some little boy who got told that he had to go do homework instead of playing video games. The boy, Joueurun, is an absolute  _ pain _ to fight. With the ability to set up a checkpoint and return back to it, he reminds Félix of some sort of off brand Reptilitany, except everyone remembers the previous ‘saves’. 

Speaking of the Snake, she’s here too, and Chat Ruse really wishes he knew how long this battle has lasted. So far it’s felt like twenty minutes, but he can’t tell anymore. Who could, with  _ two _ different people resetting time constantly?! 

Ladybug seems just as frustrated, at least, muttering angrily under her breath as she tries to snag Joueurun’s object, a dark purple game controller. Because of course it is.

Chat Ruse darts around the Akuma, trying to get his attention off of Arctic Fox, who’s doing his best to summon an illusion. It’s hard to use Mirage when he can’t get the notes out, though, and Joueurun seems to know this. 

“Don’t you have a goddamn  _ pause button _ ?” Chat Ruse shouts and yep, that does it. Suddenly Joueurun’s attention is shifting, the boy’s sights set on him and locked on firmly. 

Shit. 

Chat Ruse quickly finds himself being chased down, Joueurun hot on his fake tail. Chat leaps over the rooftops, his teammates quickly following, trying to help him. 

“Chat Ruse!” Ladybug screams, suddenly swinging ahead of him. “Stop running.”

“What?” It sounds ridiculous, but he does what the lady says.

“I’ve got you now!” Joueurun screams as he lunges at Chat Ruse, and Chat quickly blocks himself with his staff. There’s no impact.

“Venom!” Belle Abeille shouts, and then her spinning top is hitting Joueurun, freezing the Akuma in place mere inches from Chat Ruse. 

It doesn’t take a genius for Chat to know what to do.

“Cataclysm,” he says, and quickly slashes the controller. A butterfly escapes, flapping its wings quickly, but Ladybug is faster.

“Aha! No more evildoing for you, little Akuma!” Ladybug cheers, and then casts her Miraculous Cure and frees the purified butterfly. She turns to the team with a smile. “Good job, guys!”

“This was fun and all, but I have to go,” Belle Abeille says with a small smile. “I have prior commitments to attend to, sorry.”

Arctic Fox goes next, waving goodbye and leaping off, leaving the team down to Ladybug, Reptilitany, and Chat Ruse himself. 

“Let’s go find somewhere for you two to detransform,” Ladybug says, and the three leap down to the streets.

Chat didn’t expect to see a classmate, but Rose is there, staring at them with wide (er, wider?) eyes that practically sparkle.

“Hello?” Ladybug says, smiling gently, and Rose practically squeals.

“Hi! You guys were so amazing! Reptilitany, you’re so cool!” Rose says, quickly narrowing her focus onto the Snake themed girl.

“Oh, uh...thank you, miss…?” Reptilitany seems to struggle, one hand reaching up to play with her hood. Chat Ruse watches his teammate, and, and is that a blush?

“Rose!” Rose gets out, cheeks as red as her name. “I’m Rose! I’m a fan, a big fan!”

Yeah, Reptilitany is blushing. Chat Ruse glances to Ladybug, and from the smile on her face he knows that she can see it, too.

“Thank you. I’m a fan, too. I mean-” Reptilitany’s Miraculous beeps, and her head shoots up. “I have to go.”

“Oh! Right! I’ll see you next time? Or not! It’s not like I’m showing up to battles to see if you’re fighting or!” Rose looks to her wrist, it’s bare. “Look at the time I really should be going bye!” Rose sprints off, not even waiting to see how Reptilitany waves shyly. 

Ladybug giggles. “Looks like you have a fan. Come along, Repti, let’s get you detransformed. Chat Ruse, go pick a different hiding spot.” Chat does as commanded, and lets his transformation drop while Ladybug talks to the Snake.

“Good job, kid,” Plagg says, floating up lazily. “Got any cheese?”

Félix grimaces. “Sorry, Plagg, I didn’t pack any. I have some cookies.” He reaches into his bag (he’s surprised that the transformation hid his bag away, but he won’t focus on it) to grab the sweets Marinette gave him at lunch.

Plagg sighs. “As if I don’t eat enough of those already.”

Félix blinks, then looks back up. “I thought you only eat cheese? Why are you eating cookies?”

Plagg freezes. “Well, uh...I live at Ladybug’s house! And her Kwami only eats cookies, so we have  _ way _ too many of those.” He sighs, over dramatic as usual. “It’s  _ torture _ , kid.”

“Oh the struggle,” Félix says, deadpan, then rolls his eyes at his Kwami’s (is Plagg  _ his _ ? Who even knows…) antics. “Would you like the cookies or not?”

“Absolutely.” Suddenly a cookie is gone, inhaled by the little Cat. Plagg smiles. “That hit the spot. Thanks, kid. See you next time.” And then he’s snatching the ring off of Félix’s fingers and floating to the end of the alley, where Ladybug is walking over.

“Thank you, Félix,” Ladybug says with a nod, and Félix nods back.

“Anytime.”

Then he’s alone, left to walk home.

Maybe the next day will be a little more normal?

\-----

The next day is not, in fact, a little more normal. Félix walks into class, expecting it to be calm. (He hasn’t learned yet, has he?) Instead he walks in and sees Rose fangirling over Reptilitany in the back, loud enough for the whole class to hear. 

And unlike the last time he walked in to hear her ramblings, the whole class is eager to put in their own thoughts as they talk. 

“Reptilitany seems really cool, huh?” Luka asks, a small smile on his face as he tunes his guitar. Marinette giggles beside him, but for what reason Félix is unsure of.

“The  _ coolest _ ,” Rose agrees instantly. “She was racing along the rooftops, and she seemed so focused and determined.”

“She’s turning into a wonderful hero,” Eden agrees from her spot in the front, smiling widely. “I’m glad to see how far she’s come in such little time.”

Kagami nods. “Reptilitany seems to be a wonderful ally.”

“I just hope she shows up more often,” Rose sighs. “I’ve been going to the battles, trying to find her. It just sucks that she’s not needed so often- not to say that I  _ want _ the fights to be harder! Ladybug and her team don’t deserve that.”

Marinette smiles softly. “I’m sure that Ladybug will bring Reptilitany back soon. It never hurts to have the extra help, right?”

“Right!” Rose nods again. Then she looks to Juleka. “What do you think, Jules?”

Juleka blushes when the whole class looks to her. “I, uh, I think she has a cool costume.”

“It’s so good,” Nathaniel agrees instantly. “I spent  _ hours _ learning how to draw it after she debuted.”

“Really?” Juleka asks, turning pinker. Félix makes a note of that in his head, an eyebrow raising. “Can I see?”

“Me too!” Rose squeals.

Nathaniel blushes but complies easily, pulling out a sketchbook and flipping to the right page. 

It’s really well done. Félix knew the boy had talent, but he didn’t realize just how  _ good _ the redhead can be. The drawing shows all of the team, from Ladybug to Chat Ruse. It’s phenomenal, and shows off each of the heroes. Except something doesn’t seem right…

“She’s taller than that,” Marinette comments casually. “By at least an inch.”

Nathaniel blinks at that. “How do you know?” He asks, and Marinette shrugs.

“She’s taller than Ladybug, not the same height. Ladybug barely comes up to Reptilitany’s eyes.”

“She’s right,” Markov cheers, flying closer. “I analyzed a recording from Reptilitany’s debut, and the hero is most definitely taller than Ladybug!”

“Good eye, Marinette,” Luka says, that same smile on his face, and Marinette blushes.

The conversation continues, with the class in awe over Nathaniel’s drawings, but Félix can’t let his train of thought go. Because how does Marinette know just how tall Reptilitany is in comparison to Ladybug?

‘ _ She’s a hero scout, _ ’ he reminds himself, but for some reason that doesn’t feel like enough.

The next oddity occurs at lunch. Marinette invites him to a nearby café for lunch, and Félix joins her immediately. So does Kagami, Adrien, Nino, and all of Kitty Section, but Félix won’t complain.

Even if he’d rather a certain cousin be disincluded. But Nino is here to keep an eye on the blond, so Félix feels a  _ little  _ better.

Especially when he takes a seat to her right, and Luka claims the spot on her other side. It’s worth seeing how Adrien pouts. 

It’s when they’re all talking that the topic of heroes arrives again.

“So, Reptilitany, huh?” Nino asks, leaning over the table with a smile. “Celebrity crush hit you hard?’

Rose blushes. “Can you  _ blame _ me? Gee, she’s wonderful, and I bet she’s ten times more amazing outside of the mask, too!”

Marinette laughs, the sound making Félix perk up. “I wouldn’t doubt it for a second. She seems great, from what I’ve seen at least!”

“You think so?” Juleka asks. “Maybe she’s not all that great?”

“Why wouldn’t she be?” Marinette asks before Rose can get defensive. “Ladybug  _ had _ to have seen something worth believing in. I mean, sure, she may be a little shy for now, and take some time to get used to her new title as a hero, but with a little work she’s bound to be confident in and out of the mask!”

Félix finds himself nodding along, much like the rest of the table. Because Marinette is absolutely right. Reptilitany is a little shy, a little unsure. He saw that in the way she moved, in the way she practically clung to the shadows when she merely needed to slip into them. He saw that in her hesitation, in the way her voice shook when the world wasn’t looking.

_ When the world wasn’t looking. _

So how does  _ Marinette  _ see all of this?

‘ _ She’s a hero scout, _ ’ he repeats in his head, but a hero scout wouldn’t be told all of this.

Something doesn’t add up, and Félix doesn’t get it.

Until Marinette brushes a strand of hair out of her face, and a certain pair of earrings shine.

And suddenly, Félix thinks that Marinette is a  _ lot _ more than a hero  _ scout _ .

(Unknown to him, another bluenette starts to question Marinette’s knowledge too, eyes trained on the exact same earrings.)


	40. A Not-So-Normal Girl...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Which Kagami Contemplates her Feelings for a Certain Bluenette

Chapter Forty

_ Kagami _

Kagami knows many things about Marinette Dupain-Cheng. For one, she’s a wonderful person. She’s the sweetest girl Kagami has ever met, always willing to help others. She’s so forgiving, too. That much is clear from all of those weeks ago, back when Kagami realized how  _ wrong _ she was about the amazing bluenette. She’s generous, constantly offering her friends treats, designing stuff without any expectation of payment (as if Kagami would let her friend go unpaid even  _ then _ ).

All of these qualities shine through on a normal day for the world to see...but Kagami is  _ blinded _ by these traits whenever Marinette dons her spots.

Yes, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the self-proclaimed “normal girl with a normal life”, is secretly Ladybug. Being the savior of Paris is, as far as Kagami is concerned, far out of the boundaries of ‘normal’. (As if Marinette was ever ‘just a normal girl’ beforehand. Please.)

Marinette was fairly good at hiding this fact, though. For months, Kagami was content to believe the girl, content to accept that Marinette had an interesting life, but nothing too world changing. The girl could design, this much was clear. And sure, she made a few designs for celebrities, but that was expected for a girl with so much talent. Kagami believed that her friend was special, yes, but never raised an eyebrow when she’d suddenly disappear during Akuma attacks, nor did she bat an eye at her, frankly,  _ awful _ excuses.

And then Tuesday happened. And Marinette just kept talking about how amazing Reptilitany was, and how she may be shy now, but  _ surely  _ she’ll come out of her shell!

But the public hasn’t seen enough of Reptilitany to spot just how shy the Snake seems to be. Belle Abeille could, though, and so could the rest of the team.

_ Only  _ the team saw just how nervous Reptilitany was. Yet, somehow, Marinette knew the same. 

Kagami couldn’t stop her eyes from darting to Marinette’s face, couldn’t stop her gaze from lowering until she was staring at the earrings Marinette  _ always _ wore, the earrings that, if turned red, would be the same as Ladybug’s….as if camouflaged. 

Suddenly, all of the excuses and sudden disappearances had meaning, and Kagami connected the dots (or, in this case,  _ spots _ ). 

So now Kagami knows another thing about Marinette. Not only is she generous to a fault, more forgiving than a puppy being given treats, and kinder than a saint...she’s the protector of the city. 

It’s not that surprising, to be honest. Not when Marinette seems to have made it her life goal to do as much good as possible.

Like today. It’s just a normal Thursday, and Kagami spent her morning hours content, ready for lunch so that she could talk to her dear friend Marinette. (Emphasis on the dear, thank you very much.) But it seems like Marinette has other plans, sadly.

“Marinette,” Kagami says, leaving the seat next to her open. “How was your morning?”

“Wonderful!” Marinette responds, but she’s much too quick and she’s not sitting down by Kagami, nor Luka or Félix for that matter. “In class today, I was talking with some friends during a break, and Rose mentioned that she wished we had more scheduled time with the counselor at the school.”

“Counselor? Why?” Kagami asks, watching how Marinette practically  _ vibrates _ with excitement as she rummages through her bag. It’s cute. 

“So that Akuma victims- both those who were Akumas and those affected by them- can talk about everything. They’ve been stuck bottling it all up due to how busy the counselor is- and can you believe we only have  _ one _ \- so I wanted to start a petition to either have group sessions, or maybe just a better system to get in, or getting a second counselor part time. I know it’d be costly to bring in a second, so I want to see if there’s more support than just a few people before I do this.”

“And why, pray tell, do  _ you _ have to be the one to ask?” Félix asks, but his smile is soft and caring. 

“Because I’m the class representative,” Marinette says immediately. “This is what I do!”

Kagami knows, and that’s why she smiles and asks, “So where do I sign?”

She’s blinded by the brightness of Marinette’s smile, but it’s so worth it when Marinette does a little hop before shoving a paper and pen in front of her. There’s only a few signatures so far- Rose, Juleka, Félix, and Eden- but it’s a start.

Kagami writes her name with a flourish, clean and perfected, and then sets the pen back down. 

Luka grabs it next, scribbling his name down. “I’ll sign it, too,” he says simply, and Marinette shines brighter before grabbing the paper and pen away once more.

“Thanks, guys! I’m going to go ask the other tables if they’ll sign, I’ll see you later!” Then Marinette is racing off, determined.

She stops a few feet away at the closest table. Kagami scans them over, quickly recognizing each person who is seated. Rose, Juleka, Alix, Alya, and that Eden girl. Marinette talks to them with passion, arms flying, and this seems to sway Alix and Alya. The two girls sign, and Marinette moves and takes the paper once more.

As she backs away, Eden stands. A few words are exchanged, and then Eden is following Marinette, the two girls going from table to table. Together, they reach the whole cafeteria before the bell rings for class, and seem enthusiastic when they go to grab their bags.

“It’s like watching a duckling follow its mother,” Félix mutters, also watching them. “And Eden is just an odd parody.”

Kagami holds back her laugh, face schooled perfectly. She has to admit, Félix is right on the mark with that comment. Eden looks and acts like a different version of Marinette. A few things are off, of course, but some of them...Kagami can’t quite place.

She doesn’t care enough  _ to _ place them, though, and her thoughts are swept away as Marinette walks up to them.

“I got everyone to sign!” Marinette says, and she’s beaming her sunshine smile once more, and Kagami’s lost to that smile. 

And that reminds her of one last thing that she knows about Marinette Dupain-Cheng: she’s absolutely, positively in love with her and everything she does. Yes, Kagami knows this most of all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonjour! This chapter came out sooner than usual, so I hope you enjoy. And it clarifies a certain something: Kagami is the one who figured out Marinette's secret identity, *not* Eden. (To be honest, I wasn't even thinking of Eden when I wrote that line. Sorry for any confusion, haha!)
> 
> And besides, what's wrong with Eden? She seems like a *wonderful* girl!


	41. Photoshoot

Chapter Forty-One

Marinette is having a pretty good time, to be quite honest. The day has been, well, not  _ calm,  _ per se, because it’s never truly calm at Dupont...but it’s been rather peaceful. She’s managed to get through most of the school day without an Akuma attack, so that’s nice. And her only plans for the rest of her weekend (after homework, of course) are to work on her newest commissions and relax. A pretty good plan, if she does say so herself.

And that’s why it doesn’t last.

When the bell rings, Marinette is quick to grab her bag and start shoving in her tablet. She can already hear other kids racing down the hallway, excited to spend the rest of their Saturday out of the building. Her own excitement grows as she zips up her bag, swings it on to her shoulder, and-

Comes face to face with Adrien, who stands right beside her desk.

“Hey, Marinette!” Adrien says cheerfully, and Marinette smiles at the blond.

“Hey, Adrien. What’s up?” She asks, and Adrien lights up even more.

“I was just wondering if you want to come to my shoot tomorrow. I know you love fashion, and I thought you could see a bit more about the behind the scenes aspect.” Leaning closer, he winks. “I’m sure I could help you get your hands on a couple of the designs if you want.”

That...that sounds pretty fun, honestly. Sure, it’d mean Marinette gets a little less relaxation time, but it’s been a while since she and Adrien hung out one on one. And he  _ has _ improved himself since Marinette found out his secret identity...maybe he really has changed for the better.

So Marinette nods. “I’d lo-”

She doesn’t get the words out, because she feels a tap on her shoulder. She looks behind her to see Félix standing patiently, smiling a bit awkwardly.

“So sorry to interrupt,” Félix says, “but I wanted to tell you that my mother would like to see you tomorrow.”

“Oh?” Marinette blinks, confused. “What’s up?”

“Well, she remembered that you’re a designer, and she’d like to ask for your opinion on a few designs.”

And that’s the moment that Marinette’s brain crashes.

“I- me- what?”

He chuckles, as if it’s funny. “She says she’s been in a...how did she put it… ‘creative funk’, and believes that a fresh set of eyes would help her find a new angle to work on some old ideas. So what do you say?”

“I, uh,” Marinette freezes, caught between a rock and a hard place. She doesn’t want to back out on Adrien, he’s her friend! But, but-

But this is a fashion  _ icon _ asking for  _ her _ opinion. Hers!!!

Marinette looks between the Agreste cousins, wishing that her decision could be easier. “I, I don’t want to back out on Adrien, but…” Then she smiles. “Oh! Adrien, what time is your shoot?”

“It starts at ten,” he answers immediately.

“Félix, what time does your mother want me over?” Marinette asks quickly.

“How about noon? You two could discuss over lunch,” Félix suggests, and the world is right once more.

“Perfect! Is that alright with you, Adrien?” Marinette looks at Adrien, and he nods.

(She doesn’t see the way he glares at Félix when she turns her back.)

\-----

_ Adrien _

Adrien can admit it, he’s never been as happy to do a photoshoot as he is right now. How could he ever feel better than he does at this moment, with his princess watching just for him.

_ Him _ . Just him. She’s here, watching him with that sweet, encouraging smile on her face as he switches poses. She’s here, her bluebell eyes trained on him as he leans back, showing off for the camera. She’s here, and she’s here to stay.

Time seems to fly, with his princess so close yet so far. She roams around after a while, her curiosity overpowering her politeness and telling her to explore. She’s like a tiny mouse, peeking over shoulders and investigating every little detail that she can. Her eyes especially light up when she sees the clothes he’s yet to model, her hands reaching out almost reverently to touch the fabrics.

The fabrics that  _ he’ll _ be wearing, no less. Adrien feels a little bit breathless, eyes following hopelessly, even as his photographer yells for his attention. Who can blame him, though? He’s on cloud nine. If only this moment could last forever…

“Adrien!” Vincent calls out, and the moment is ruined. Marinette jumps, startled, and backs away from the clothes as if  _ she _ is the one being scolded. All signs of excitement are gone in that instant, and Adrien frowns.

He wishes that he could save that happiness, that pure, unrestrained joy. But his  _ dear _ cousin Félix said that taking photographs is weird, and that Adrien could get in trouble.

And yet he still longs to restart his album, his fingers itch for his phone. 

He ignores the call, listening to Vincent’s instead. And so work goes by until it’s time to switch outfits.

“How are you enjoying the shoot, princess?” Adrien asks as he slips by, reaching for his second outfit. It’s more formal, a better fit. He looks sharp in it, he already knows this. Perhaps Marinette will think the same?

Marinette smiles sweetly, just like usual. “It’s amazing. Thanks again for inviting me here!”

“I’m always happy to have you around,” Adrien says, and he means it sincerely. Marinette is a light that brightens his world, a ray of joy in the despair that came when he lost his Miraculous. She’s perfect and patient and  _ here _ .

Marinette doesn’t respond, instead just smiling, cheeks a little bit pinker than before. The pink makes Adrien smile, and he leans closer, encouraged. It must be a sign, right? 

“Adrien! Stop talking to your little  _ ragazza _ and put on your outfit!” Vincent calls out.

“Of course!” Adrien responds, and then he’s slipping away from his light. 

The next set of photos seems to take longer, now that Adrien has been so close only to be pulled away. That’s why, when he moves to grab his third outfit, he leans over to Vincent and asks, “Don’t we need a female model for one of the outfits?”

And Vincent says, “It is not a priority today. Our female model for today was busy, so don’t you worry about it!”

Adrien hums. “I see. I just thought the lighting was perfect, and the scenery is great for a partner picture.”

“Yes, but she is not here-”

“What about Marinette?” Adrien cuts off, practically bouncing in his stance.

Vincent blinks, then looks to the bluenette. He studies her, then nods. “She’d do wonderfully. Bring your  _ ragazza  _ to the assistant, they’ll get her ready before you can say spaghetti!” 

Adrien nods. “Of course! Thanks, Vincent!” He races over to Marinette, excited to share the news.

But his princess seems wary, not quite so ready to take the spotlight. “Are… are you sure? I’m a designer, not a model.” 

Adrien smiles sweetly. She’s so cute when she’s modest. “You’ll be wonderful, princess. I know you can do it.”

She hesitates, biting her lip in that adorable way that she does when she’s hesitant, then asks, “And you’re  _ sure _ you guys  _ need _ this shot today? You can’t wait for the other model?”

Adrien nods, even though that’s false. “Yes. Vincent doesn’t want to wait, and Vincent won’t be satisfied until we’re done. I might be here all  _ day _ otherwise...but if you really don’t want to, I understand.” He smiles weakly, purposely making his eyes downcast.

Marinette nods, determined. “Alright. I’ll...I’ll be your model.” And then she’s marching off to the assistant, ready to do whatever she has to. 

She really  _ is _ that selfless, isn’t she? Adrien wonders how such a wonderful girl fell for him...and if she’ll do it again.

When he gets out of his changing booth, he feels his heart stop. Marinette looks gorgeous, dressed in a red shirt and black skirt that seems to fit her form perfectly. Her makeup is touched up, a hint of a smokey eye put on by the makeup artist, and her hair is now free of her signature pigtails.

“You look  _ amazing _ ,” Adrien says, and he revels in the way she blushes.

Time flies once more, and Adrien wishes time could freeze when he gets to dip Marinette for one picture. It’s perfect, it’s wonderful, it’s-

“Marinette!” Félix’s voice calls out, and it’s  _ over _ .

Marinette lights up when she hears Félix’s voice, and she looks to Vincent. “I have to go, are we almost done?” She asks politely, and Vincent nods.

“We are! Thank you, little Marinette. These photos are phenomenal!” Vincent waves his hand. “You are free to go. Adrien, get your next outfit on! The one with the blue!”

Adrien feels detached as he slips into the dressing room, swapping his outfit for the next. And when he gets out, it’s to the sight of Marinette slipping into Félix’s car, slipping away, slipping out of reach…

His world gets a little bit dimmer, and he goes back to work. 


	42. Multimouse

Chapter Forty-Two

Maybe, just maybe, Marinette will learn her lesson one day and  _ stop asking for normal days _ . Because of course, of  _ course _ , the moment she thought to herself, ‘Hey, maybe it’ll be a normal start to the week, just an average Monday’-  _ bam. _ Some kid from Kagami’s class, flipping out because they failed an essay. Really? Just...really?

Marinette sighs as she starts to stand, trying to find the best way to slip out of her classroom and transform. Okay, so most of the class is freaking out, that could be a good distraction. Marinette inches forwards, trying to avoid the newest villain’s gaze.

“Hey, you!” The boy shouts, narrowed eyes quickly focusing on her. Well, shit. This isn’t going as planned.

The boy starts to advance, pulling out a purple marker that seems to bubble ominously. Marinette stumbles backwards, trying to put more distance between them, a bit more frantic as she tries to find a new way out-

A shoe is thrown. The Akuma straightens, quickly turning to find the culprit.

Félix stares back coldly, his other shoe in hand. “Are you quite done?” He asks blandly, and just like that the Akuma is changing targets. It’s enough for Marinette to dive past, scrambling for the exit. 

She can only hope Félix can defend himself in the meantime. 

Marinette finds herself an empty room in record time, quickly transforming into Ladybug and racing for the classroom. It’s a lot more deserted, the majority of her classmates having followed her lead and racing out of there as well. Now it’s only the Akuma, Félix, Alya, Juleka, and Rose.

And it seems that the Akumatized boy has changed targets once again, now heading for Rose. 

“How would  _ you _ like to feel failure?” The Akuma taunts, trapping Rose as he uncaps his marker. 

Ladybug takes the chance to swing her yoyo at him, quickly catching his arm. “You know, it’d be easier to just ask the teacher for help at this point,” she points out.

“Oh, save the preaching for someone who  _ cares _ , you pesky insect,” the Akuma spits out, swiping his marker and hitting her yoyo. The string goes loose, and he frees himself with a laugh. “Why don’t you try seeing things from  _ my _ view, instead? Feel what it feels like to  _ fail _ , hmm?” He turns back to Rose, but she’s being pulled away by Juleka. “What’s this? A friend trying to save her beloved bestie? It’d be a shame if you  _ failed _ at that, wouldn’t it?” Just like that, the Akuma is lunging at Rose, grabbing her and pulling her away from Juleka.

“Hey! Let me go!” Rose screams, struggling in his grip. The Akuma laughs again, simply tapping her with the marker. 

“Can’t escape if you can’t succeed,” he points out, and then he’s jumping out of the window, taking her with him, ignoring the purple mask on his face. Ladybug tries to swing after him, tries to use her yoyo, but it just loosens, losing its hold on any surface she tries to grab.

“Ladybug,” Félix says beside her, face serious. “You might want to bring backup. It looks like you’ll need a lot of chances to get Erreur taken down.”

Ladybug nods. “You’re absolutely right.” She looks to her remaining classmates, face determined. “You three, go find somewhere safe. We don’t want to risk Erreur finding you again.” 

Alya opens her mouth, but she shuts it again and races off...rather awkwardly.

“Did she get hit?” Ladybug asks, noticing how the ombre-haired girl doesn’t even have her phone out.

“She was doomed to fail at reporting,” Félix informs her, and Ladybug nods.

“I see. You two, go hide in the bathrooms. I doubt Erreur will go there.” Juleka and Félix nod, and Ladybug leaps out of the window, slipping into and out of her room before Arctic Fox and Belle Abeille are even at the school.

“I got here when I could,” Arctic breathes out. “Where’s the Akuma?”

“Erreur is off running around somewhere near. He has a civilian held hostage- her name is Rose.” Ladybug sees how Arctic scowls immediately, and continues. “If he hits you with his marker, you’ll fail at whatever he deems fit. For me, I can’t use my yoyo to grab things.”

“Like grabbing Akumas?” Arctic asks. “Or just buildings and people?”

“...I’m not quite sure, to be honest. Only the latter as of right now, and let’s hope it stays that way.” Ladybug shifts, ignoring the worry that grows in her stomach. “You two, start searching the area for him. I’m going to grab the temporaries.” 

“Of course,” Belle Abeille agrees, and her teammates are gone in seconds, leaping over buildings and scanning the city below. Meanwhile, Ladybug slips into the school. Her first stop is the girl’s bathroom, where she drops the Snake Miraculous off to Juleka. Then she knocks on the boy’s bathroom door, and Félix quickly emerges. In seconds, Chat Ruse is by her side, ready to take down the Akuma. The two head off, quickly meeting up with Reptilitany.

“Where is he?” Reptilitany asks immediately, and despite her face being covered, the worry is clear on her face. 

“I’m unsure. Arctic and Abeille are looking for Erreur, so hopefully-” her yoyo rings, and Ladybug quickly answers the call.

“You’ll never guess where,” Arctic says, voice dry and unamused.

“Where is she?” Reptilitany asks quickly, then coughs. “He. Where’s  _ he _ ?” 

“The Eiffel Tower,” Belle Abeille says with a huff.

“Of course. Become a villain, check. Take the girl to the top of a high tower? Check. Are we sure this isn’t King Kong?” Chat Ruse asks, mask stretching as he raises an eyebrow.

Ladybug groans as she jumps from one roof to another. “No, he probably did this because my yoyo isn’t working right now.” She frowns, halting her steps. “I can leap around easily enough, but trying to catch him in there? I’m half a man down already.”

“He’s got a hostage, we can’t risk our leader practically being shot in the leg,” Arctic points out, then his eyes shoot back up to his screen. “Why don’t you grab another Miraculous?”

“Huh? For who?”

“Yourself.” Arctic grins. “Erreur affected your  _ yoyo _ , so if you just get a different weapon…”

“I won’t be stuck with one hand tied behind my back!” Ladybug grins, an idea forming. “Alright, I’ll go find a Kwami with the right weapon. Chat Ruse, Reptilitany, head on over to the tower. Keep him contained, I’ll be back.” She waits until they race off, and then she leaps back to her home.

“Tikki, spots off!” Marinette detransforms as she drops through her balcony, racing over to the Miraculous Box. She opens the top, staring at the remaining Miraculi. 

“What Miraculous are you going to use, Marinette?” Tikki asks, flying over to grab a nearby cookie that’s been left out.

Marinette hums, then picks up the Mouse’s pendant necklace. A flash of pink appears before her eyes. “I need Mullo.” 

“For Multitude?” Tikki asks.

“For the jump rope.” Marinette giggles. “It’s the closest to the yoyo, and I think it’ll work for the job. I have a feeling I’ll need to catch someone, or something, and this can also help with covering distances.” She smiles at the Kwami. “Think you can help me with that?”

“It would be my pleasure, Marinette,” Mullo says kindly, then floats closer. “You already know my transformation phrase.”

“Right.” Marinette stands up. “Mullo,  _ get squeaky! _ ” A flash of pink covers her, and when she can finally see, she’s left in a gray and pink suit. “Oh, this is cute!” 

Tikki giggles. “Come on, Mousey, let’s go catch the Akuma!”

“That’s  _ Multimouse _ to you, Tikki. But I need you, too.” Multimouse smiles. “Follow me, but try not to be seen. The public doesn’t know about you.”

“I’ll stay hidden, don’t worry,” Tikki agrees, and then they’re off.

They reach the Eiffel Tower in the span of a few minutes, travel much easier now that Multimouse has access to her jump rope. It isn’t quite right, a little too thick in her hands and a fair amount shorter, but it gets the job done and helps Multimouse to get around. 

When Multimouse lands a few buildings away from the Tower, Chat Ruse is immediately by her side, panting slightly.

“He’s a tricky one,” Chat admits with a scowl. “We can’t get too close, because we’ll either get hit by his marker or hit  _ her _ ,” he points to Rose, who is still stuck in Erreur’s grip. “And long range attacks don’t work, either. Not anymore.”

“Why not?” Multimouse asks, eyes flitting around as she observes the battle. 

“Belle Abeille’s spinning top got hit. We aren’t quite sure what the curse is, but we can’t risk her venom being used on one of us. Arctic Fox is sticking to Reptilitany’s side for the most part, to keep her out of danger.” He grimaces. “Apparently we’ve gone through twenty time resets already.” He taps his baton. “That’s what Arctic says, at least.” 

“So we can’t get too close or we’re in trouble, we can’t work from afar because our remaining options are close range...but what about me?”

Chat simply looks at her, waiting for Multimouse’s explanation.

“If I shrink, I can sneak in. He hasn’t seen me yet, right?” 

“I don’t believe so-” Chat starts, but Reptilitany interrupts over the call.

“He’s focused on Belle Abeille and Rose. He hasn’t noticed that Chat stopped taunting him yet,” the Snake informs.

“Perfect. Chat Ruse, how good is your aim?”

“Fairly good, why?”

Multimouse smiles. “Alright, I need you to jump over to the Eiffel Tower when I give the word, and I want you to drop me.”

“What?” 

“Trust me.”

Chat sighs, then nods. “Of course. Whenever you’re ready, Ladybug.”

“Multimouse,” she winks, and then she whispers, “Multitude.” Suddenly, she goes from one normal sized girl to a dozen miniature versions, all sentient. “Alright! Chat, pick me up!” She reaches her arms out, and quickly latches on to Chat Ruse’s hand. 

Chat, for his part, tries to take everything in stride. “What about the others?” He asks, trying not to stare. 

“Take them too. I’ll need them to regrow.” The rest climb onto the Cat, holding on tightly.

“Right. Hold on tight, I’d hate to drop you,” Chat Ruse says, and then he’s vaulting off of the roof up to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Quickly, the Multimice scramble off until only the main Multimouse remains.

“Okay! Tikki, where are you?” Multimouse looks around, and smiles when Tikki pops up from behind Chat. “Tikki, Mullo, unify!” A flash of red colors her vision, and her gray suit takes on a spotted form. “Perfect! Lucky charm!” A rubber band falls into her hands, and Multimouse giggles, already connecting the dots. 

Finally, she looks up to Chat. “Throw me,” she commands, and he does so. Multimouse launches through the air, and quickly uses her shrunken jump rope to catch onto a metal beam. Glancing up, she sees that Erreur is taunting Belle Abeille, who leaps around, trying to dodge his blows and land one of her own. 

He doesn’t have a clue about what’s about to hit him.

Multimouse works quickly, waving over a few of her copies to pull the rubber band taut as she pushes against it, backing up as far as the beam will let her. Then she lifts up her feet, and the elastic shoots forward, propelling her into the air like a human catapult.

She shoots right into the marker, knocking it to the ground. It cracks, and a flash of purple appears behind her as Erreur loses his powers- and stumbles backwards, dropping off of the Tower.

Ladybug-Multimouse gasps, seeing how the boy and Rose plummet down. “Unify!” She screams, and the other Multimice race to her, quickly regrowing into one LadyMouse. She quickly leaps after the boy, swinging her jump rope out to catch a beam but she can’t catch them, she’s too la-

A flash of purple and black appears, and Reptilitany catches Rose less than a second later. Blue and orange shows dives through the air, and Arctic Fox holds the Akuma victim safely, setting the boy on the ground. LadyMouse sighs with relief, then drops to the ground where the marker lays, the Akuma fluttering away as quickly as possible.

LadyMouse quickly catches it, then casts her Miraculous Cure. 

“Divide,” she whispers, and feels a wave of exhaustion hit her as Mullo darts into her hair, leaving her as Ladybug. She turns around, back to her teammates and the other two, and sees Arctic Fox checking over the Akuma victim...while Reptilitany continues to hold Rose, whose face is pinker than her outfit.

“Repti?” Ladybug says, and the Snake jolts. Quickly, Reptilitany sets down Rose, making sure to be gentle all the while. 

“I, you,” Rose blushes, smiling sweetly, “you saved my life.”

Reptilitany reaches up with one hand and grabs at her hood, tugging it down further. “I couldn’t let you get hurt,” she whispers in response, and Ladybug nearly cooes. 

_ Beep _ .

Nearly.

Ladybug sighs. If only she could let the two talk more like this…perhaps she should let Reptilitany hold onto it for a night, do a patrol. 

_ Beep _ . 

Not today. 

Ladybug clears her throat. “Chat Ruse, Reptilitany, we should be going.”

“Of course,” Chat agrees immediately, and with a slight nod he’s hiding off in an alleyway. He never used Cataclysm, Ladybug knows this. And that’s why she lets him wait a moment while she looks to Reptilitany.

“I have to go,” Reptilitany says to Rose, who frowns and nods sadly.

“Of course.” She starts to step back as Reptilitany turns away, then freezes. “Wait!” 

“What is it?” The Snake asks quickly, eyes trained back on the blonde. Whatever she was expecting, it wasn’t for Rose to lean over and plant a kiss on her cheek.

“Thank you,” Rose says with a small smile, and then she’s running off, disappearing from sight.

“It seems that you’ve found a fan,” Arctic jokes with a wink, then sighs, exhausted. “Alright. I think I’m heading off. Goodbye, guys!” Then he’s leaping away over the rooftops. Belle Abeille leaves soon after, and Ladybug leads Reptilitany into a nearby alleyway. 

“Scales rest,” Reptilitany says, and the costume disappears in a flash. Juleka is still blushing as she slips the bangle off of her wrist. 

“Thank you, Juleka,” Ladybug says, slipping the Miraculous into her yoyo for  safekeeping. 

“Thank you for letting me help,” Juleka says, and then she’s slipping out of the alley and heading back to school.

_ Beep. _

Ladybug cringes at the sound, knowing that she’s nearly out of time. What is she on  now, two minutes? Three? 

She heads into the alley where Chat resides, the blond smiling kindly as she enters.

“Plagg, claws in,” he says, and a flash of green fills the air.

_ Beep _ . A flash of pinkish-red, and Marinette is left staring at her classmate.

She slams her hands over her mouth before she can scream. She can’t panic, she can’t-

“Are you alright?” Félix asks, and that’s when Marinette realizes that he’s  _ shut his eyes _ . What’s more, he’s covered them, too.

Marinette sighs in relief. “Yeah. I just, I thought I had more time.”

“Do you have any food for your Kwami?” He asks. “Or would you prefer that I wait until you’ve been silent for a while to leave?”

Marinette digs through her purse, quickly pulling out a spare cookie. “I’m good! Tikki, eat up.” Tikki dives to the cookie, practically inhaling half of it as she eats.

“That’s her name?” Félix asks. 

“Yeah,” Marinette says with a nod, then realizes that he can’t see.

“Cute.” 

“Yeah.” Marinette shifts, antsy for something to do. She can’t risk anyone seeing them standing here, it’s suspicious. Especially with how Félix covers his eyes with his hands.

Oh, right.

“I’m going to take the ring while we wait, okay?” Marinette asks, and Félix nods.

“Oh, of course! Here!” He uncovers his eyes, turning his head as an added precaution, and slips the ring off with his other hand. He holds it out blindly, and Marinette takes it. 

“Thank you. Tikki, you ready?” Her Kwami nods. “Alright. Spots on.” A flash of color, and Ladybug is back. “You can open your eyes now, Félix. Thank you for closing them, by the way.”

“Of course,” Félix says again. “I know that your secret identity is important.” 

“Yes. Anyways, I must be heading off. Until next time,” she says, then swings off before seeing the way he smiles.

“Of course,” Félix whispers behind her. “Until next time.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonjour mes amants! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!!
> 
> As a writer's update, I'd like to announce that updates should be a bit more frequent as the story gets its last 12 chapters. With the free time that comes with staying home due to the current circumstances, I've been able to shoot ahead in my writing. In fact, I only have two chapters left to write! The story should end up being just under, or just over, 90,000 words, which is really exciting!! It feels like I started working on this just a few weeks ago, but here we are, reaching the end just as fast. 
> 
> But we still have a ways to go! There's more heroes to be brought in, and a few major plot points to cover. Who are you hoping will gain a Miraculous? Tell me your guesses, and I'll see you soon. Until next time! <3


	43. Musings

Chapter Forty-Three

Marinette plops into her seat after lunch, ignoring her own wish for a normal day. Because with an Akuma in the morning, can her Monday really be normal? Probably not...unless this is just the normal of today…

She decides to move on from her thoughts, the Ladybug in her dreading the idea. Instead, she focuses on her friends, most of whom are still talking as they await Bustier’s arrival and the start of class, turned in their desk spots so that the whole class creates one large circle. (Even Chloé turns to face the back, trying to be involved. It’s nice.)

The current topic of choice? Rose’s interaction with Reptilitany.

“And then I kissed her cheek!” Rose squeals, face red with embarrassment and joy. 

“What happened then?” Mylène asks, eyes starry as she leans over her half of the bench.

“I ran off!” Rose admits, giggling nervously. “I panicked?”

“I get that,” Ivan says lightly.

Nathaniel nods. “Pretty girls  _ are _ intimidating.” 

“And she’s a superhero,” Félix points out. “It makes sense to be nervous.”

Rose smiles, relieved to have support. “Thanks, guys. I just, I wanted her to know that she means a lot! Even if she doesn’t show up often, she’s still important and I wanted her to realize that.”

Marinette smiles, seeing how Juleka stares at Rose with teary eyes and a grateful smile. It seems the message has been received. 

Sabrina cooes. “That’s adorable.”

“That’s gay,” Alix mutters, but she’s smiling kindly as she does so. 

“I hope that everything goes well,” Eden says sweetly. “She seems to like you, too, if that helps.”

“You think so?” Rose asks, brightening up further. 

“Of course! I mean, there’s obviously chemistry between you two! I saw the way she caught you,” Eden says with a wink. “She  _ ran _ to get to you in time, that was more than a hero doing her job.”

Eden does have a point, the two do have chemistry...although Marinette is sure that Juleka would’ve ran just as quickly to catch anyone else, because Juleka is a hero and that’s what they do. 

Adrien looks at Eden curiously, asking, “Where’d you see that? Alya didn’t have a livestream, so I didn’t see any videos.”

Eden blinks, tapping a finger to her cheek as she thinks. “Oh, shoot! What was the name of the channel? I’ll have to get back to you on that, sorry.” She hums, then smiles at the blond. “Here! Let’s trade numbers, then I can send you a link later on when I find a video of it!”

Adrien seems to freeze for a second, then he nods. “Uh, sure! Here,” he hands her his phone, and she grabs it. (Is it just Marinette, or did he stiffen up when she brushed his hand? She must be seeing things.) “I’ll text you if I have free time later.”

“Perfect! I’ll be sure to find you the best video of it!” Eden holds his phone out, leaning forwards.

“Yeah.” Adrien takes the phone back quickly, slipping it away right as the teacher walks in and turning on his tablet. 

The class quickly situates itself, everyone facing the front and preparing to take notes. Marinette, however, is a bit distracted as she looks at Adrien up in the front. She can’t brush aside the feeling that something is off...but why would it be? Everything is fine, right? Right. Adrien probably didn’t flinch  _ because _ of his contact with Eden, that’d be silly! Marinette knows how touchy he was as Chat Noir, how much he liked contact. The poor blond is touch starved, isn’t he? No, he must’ve flinched for some other reason. Maybe she shocked him by accident? Static is a bitch. Or he got cold? The door was left wide open, it’s always a possibility.

Yeah, Adrien wouldn’t be uncomfortable around Eden. She’s a sweetheart.

Marinette doesn’t feel satisfied with this answer, because her gut still turns as if, as if-

She won’t even think it.

She  _ does _ send Adrien a text, though.

‘ _ Are you alright? You looked a little uncomfortable when you brushed hands with Eden. _ ’

A few minutes later, when Bustier isn’t looking, he texts back.

‘ _ I’m all good, thanks Princess! <3 _ ’

Marinette smiles at the text, relief filling her. Of course. She’s always been a worrier, it was a matter of time before she had a minor overreaction over a misunderstanding. She  _ really _ needs to cool it.

Marinette gets back to work, unaware of how Adrien never relaxed. 

\-----

_ Adrien _

He’s not okay. He’s not okay, this isn’t okay,  _ none of this is okay _ . 

Adrien always thought he’d want to know the truth. He always thought that would make him happy. He thought they’d fall in love, they’d be happy. 

This isn’t right.

Adrien doesn’t glance back as the bell rings, but she comes following after him, eyes bright and so, so blue. 

“Hey, Adrien!” She says, voice sweet and cheerful. “Got any plans after school tomorrow?” 

Adrien rubs the back of his neck, trying to avoid eye contact. “Yeah, I have fencing practice and a photoshoot after.”

“Oh, that’s a shame,” she says with a pout. “You’re so good at fencing, I’m surprised you need so much practice!”

Yeah, she’d know how good he is with a weapon, wouldn’t she? 

“It’s what my father wants,” Adrien says stiffly, then turns again. “I should be going, my ride is waiting for me.”

“Of course! I’ll see you soon, Adrien,” she says, and then she’s turning away, her blue pigtails bouncing ever so slightly with every step, humming a faint tune under her breath. Adrien looks away, forces his eyes to see anyone, anything else, and gets into the car as quickly as possible.

He’s silent as he gets in the car, but Gorilla, of course, doesn’t comment on it. He just drives off, leaving the blond to stew in his thoughts.

And mon Dieu, does he have plenty.

_ He knows _ . He knows she’s Ladybug, knows that she’s the girl behind the mask. It’s just so, so obvious! The way she moves, the way she acts, even the way she  _ speaks _ just screams her secret identity. How did it take him so long to put together the pieces?

And she knows his identity. She’s Ladybug, of  _ course _ she knows! 

Adrien glares at the sky, at the horizon line he once used to leap across. He spots some of his favorite rooftops, the ones where he spent hours just talking with Ladybug, back when he thought she was the  _ one _ . 

Back when he had freedom and flirtation on his mind, when he thought that maybe, just maybe, if he knew Ladybug’s identity, everything would be right in the world. They’d fall in love, get married, and grow old together, partners and heroes together for the rest of their lives.

Then he lost his Miraculous, and he fell for another.

For Marinette, who saw him clearly, who sees him for who he is and who he used to be. Who loved him, and who he loves.

And knowing Ladybug’s identity? Knowing who she is, who she  _ truly _ is?

This doesn’t change a thing.

No, Adrien decides, Ladybug clearly wasn’t the one for him. He saw the wrong bluenette, saw the wrong girl at the wrong time. 

Marinette is clearly the girl for him, not Eden.

And maybe that’s okay. 


	44. Party Crasher

Chapter Forty-Four

One day, Marinette presumes, someone will look her in the eye and ask, “What’s the weirdest Akuma you’ve ever faced?” 

Before, Marinette may have struggled. Who _ was _ the weirdest? Was it Mr. Pigeon, the man who got Akumatized dozens of times because he loved those dumb birds too damn much? No, maybe it was The Pharaoh, that whole _ human sacrifice _ thing was a bit over the top. Animan was also a bit odd, and Marinette will never forget the moment she jumped into his t-rex mouth...but then there was also Robustus, and, you know, _ Gigantitan _. A giant baby. 

But now Marinette knows that she would have been wrong, because here she is, facing the weirdest one yet: A boy dressed to the nines in a seventies inspired _ disco outfit _, paired up with blue skin, a bright pink afro and the mustache to match, and disco balls for hands.

“Hawkmoth must be taking inspiration from his youth,” Chat Ruse says as he lands behind her, and Ladybug snorts.

“Anyone have any details on this one?” She asks as she leaps back, avoiding the Akuma’s disco ball hand.

“Name’s Party Crasher, upset because Adrien didn’t invite him over,” Arctic breathes out. “He apparently had friends over or something?”

“Is this guy actually friends with Adrien?” Belle Abeille asks, trying (and failing) to hit the guy with her spinning top.

“Unconfirmed,” Chat Ruse responds. 

“I am!” Party Crasher shouts. “I met him during a photoshoot, we exchanged emails and everything!” Then the Akuma slams his disco hands on the ground. “But if he’s going to _ forget about me _ to _ party _, I guess the party just had to end!” 

“Sounds like jealousy,” Belle Abeille mutters.

“Sounds like a fanboy,” Chat Ruse adds, and then has to try dodging Party Crasher’s blow.

He doesn’t make it in t-

\-----

_ Juleka _

_ Second Chance _. 

Reptilitany hides in the shadows, out of Party Crasher’s view. She resets right as Party Crasher lands a touch of Chat Ruse, making the Cat disappear into the disco ball.

“Go left,” she whispers into her lyre, the call connected to the other teammates. 

He does.

Party Crasher stumbles, then turns and hits Arctic Fox, who got too close.

_ Second Chance. _

“Chat, go left. Arctic, back up. Ladybug-” Belle gets hit, _ Second Chance _.

Reptilitany tries to analyze, tries to understand. It all goes so fast, every correction leading to a new problem, as Party Crasher reacts immediately, finding a new solution, as if he anticipates their every move, as if it’s some sort of dance-

Oh. 

“Ladybug,” Reptilitany whispers. “I need you to change things up.” 

“Huh?” Ladybug gets hit, _ Second Chance _.

“Chat, left, Arctic back, everyone _ run _,” Reptilitany rushes the words out, and everyone darts away.

“What’s going on, Reptilitany?” Ladybug asks as she swings through the sky.

“We need to change things up. Grab some newbies, or stop using your weapon, or _ something _.” Reptilitany glances around, sees how Party Crasher tries to race after her teammates.

“Okay. I’ll, I’ll find some guys.” 

“Be quick.”

“Got it, Bug Out.” She disconnects her yoyo from the call, and Reptilitany waits with bated breath.

“He’s on our tails,” Chat fills Reptilitany in. “Where should we go?”

“_ Anywhere _. Just don’t get into any patterns. Change directions randomly, speed up and slow down, whatever it takes.”

“Got it,” Arctic Fox says, and Reptilitany can only hope that they do.

The minutes tick by, feeling like hours, and Reptilitany feels her worries grow. Does her timer end five minutes after she stops using Second Chance? Or five minutes since she last needed it? She can only hope that the extra food she gave Sass before the battle will help…

The sound of Ladybug joining the call interrupts her worries, and the sound of two more being added brings some relief.

“Guys,” Ladybug says with a breathy tone, “welcome Ouragon and Jade Tortue to the team.”

“What Miraculi?” Reptilitany asks.

“Dragon and Turtle.” 

“Perfect. Everyone, come on back here, but don’t go straight back.” 

“Trying to get him off of our path?” Ladybug asks.

“No, I want you off of your path,” Reptilitany looks to her lyre, even though she can’t see her teammates. “Party Crasher is somehow able to anticipate your moves. I think it’s because you follow a pattern.”

“As if it’s some sort of dance!” Ladybug adds in the unspoken words. “Good eye, Repti! Alright boys, let’s end this party stopper’s groove once and for all.” 

In moments, the team is back where they began, and Party Crasher is angrier than before.

“All of that chase, just to come right back?” He laughs. “How predictable! And you brought more people, just as I’d expect!” 

“Now?” Ladybug asks.

“Now,” she confirms, and everything, well...descends into chaos. 

It’s one of the most amazing, most atrocious, most spectacularly _ awful _ things Reptilitany has ever seen, like choreography done wrong. Ladybug starts walking around on her hands, feet dangling in the air, while Ouragon begins to somehow gently break dance behind her, emphasis on the _ gently _. 

“What?” Party Crasher looks around in confusion, head whipping back and forth. “What are you _ doing _?”

“Can’t track us now, can you?” Ladybug taunts, starting to make her way to him in a jagged path.

Party Crasher doesn’t respond, just leaps at her with his arm outstretched-

Completely missing how Jade Tortue spins forwards on his shell, yelling, “Shellter!” A dome quickly covers him and Ladybug, blocking the Akuma’s attack.

“How did you-” his question never gets finished.

“Wind dragon,” Ouragon whispers, then rushes at Party Crasher to throw off his balance. 

“Venom!” Flipping through the air, Belle Abeille hits Party Crasher in the back with her spinning top, freezing the boy.

“Where’s the Akuma?” Ladybug asks quickly, jumping back to her feet as Jade Tortue breaks the glowing dome around them.

“Maybe the glasses?” Arctic Fox suggests.

“Or the disco balls,” Reptilitany adds, coming out of the shadows at last.

“I’ll just break both,” Chat decides, stealing the objects before summoning his Cataclysm. The hero then touches all three objects with his hand, turning them to dust. A butterfly flies out, and Ladybug purifies it and casts her cure before Party Crasher finishes reverting back to normal.

“Huh?” The boy asks, glancing around. “Where _ am _ I? What happened?” He sees the heroes. “Oh _ no _. Was I Akumatized?”

Ladybug nods slowly. “You seemed rather upset about not being let into a party?”

The boy curls in on himself, just a bit. “Oh. Yeah. Adrien was having a party, and I wasn’t let in…” 

“Adrien Agreste?” Belle Abeille asks, looking over at the nearby mansion.

“Yeah! I’m his biggest fan.” The boy smiles, although it disappears quickly. “Though I guess I’m not a close friend.”

“Have you two talked?” Jade Tortue asks gently.

“Totally! Well, not much? Not in person usually. He’s liked my comments, though, and we email occasionally,” the boy defends. 

“I see.” Jade Tortue frowns, looking at the boy. “Did he _ say _ he was having a party?”

“Not to me! But it’s obvious! A bunch of guys walked in, and then they started playing music so loud I could hear it out here and-”

Chat sighs, placing a clawed hand on the boy’s shoulder. “I’ve seen the model around the city, he seems to have a very strict schedule. I have a feeling that the party was not his choice, but rather a decision of his friends.”

“You think so?” He asks, looking rather hopeful.

“Oh, definitely,” Jade Tortue backs Chat Ruse up immediately, followed by Ouragon and Arctic Fox. 

“I see. Thank you.” Relieved, the boy walks away.

Moments later, as Juleka walks back home, she can’t help but wonder…why do the boys know so much about Adrien?

Perhaps she’ll find out in the future, but that’s for another day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...two new heroes, hmm? I never actually clarify who it is in the story, well...not until a *much* later chapter, and it really isn't important to hide this from you guys...
> 
> So let's reveal some identities!
> 
> 1\. Jade Tortue  
Miraculous: The Turtle  
The Person: Nino  
And this is why I didn't bring the turtle back right away! It was always my intention to keep Wayzz and Nino paired up- I mean, have you *seen* their little fistbump? I'm sorry, but it was too pure to separate them. I wanted Nino to have a second chance, one where he could act as a hero without risk of anyone revealing his identity. Is this a possible show of favoritism? Perhaps, but the boy is too good for this world (and, with how little screen time he gets, I guess he's too good for the show as well). (I'm only a little bitter.)
> 
> 2\. Ouragon  
Miraculous: The Dragon  
The Person: Nathaniel  
This one was just for fun, to be honest. I think the Dragon Miraculous is a really cool one, and I adore its color scheme. Nathaniel fits the pattern really well, what with his red hair and all, and I wanted to give the shy artist a chance to be a cool, sword-wielding hero. It might not be his hero persona that he created back in Evillustrator, but it's something.  
The name: Ouragan (Hurricane) + Dragon. 
> 
> And that's all for today! I hope you appreciate the boys! <3


	45. Anomalies

Chapter Forty-Five

_ Eden _

It’s a wonderful Friday morning. The sky is blue, a few perfect clouds dotting the picture perfect horizon, with sunshine poking out over the rooftops of Paris. Birds flutter and chirp as they fly, one with the breeze, and the smell of freshly baked bread slips through the air as Eden passes the ever beloved  _ Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie _ that sits right across the street from Dupont. It’s heavenly, the perfect touch to the start of a (hopefully) perfect day.

Yes, it’ll be a wonderful day. Eden just  _ knows _ it.

Heading into class, Eden can only grin wider as her classmates begin to greet her. They’re so nice, welcoming her with open arms. Eden had to admit, she was a bit worried that they wouldn’t want her around.

She couldn’t have been farther from the truth!

Eden walks up to her spot in the second row, sliding into her seat next to Alya. Alya, a kind girl who knows to take life by the reins and make it her own. Alya, a confidant who’s been nothing but open since Eden first sat beside her. Alya, her new best friend, and the perfect person to spend her school days beside.

Alya smiles at her. “Hey, girlie! How’re you doing?”

Eden smiles back, slipping her tablet out of her bag and placing it onto the desktop. “Oh, it was wonderful! I must have spent an hour just practicing all of my moves. My splits are better than ever!” She beams, proud of herself. She’s always been flexible, thanks to her constant in her life that is gymnastics, and her splits are the result of years of hard work. 

“That’s awesome, girl! I’m proud of you!” Alya cheers, just as impressed. “I can barely do a flip as it is.” The journalist laughs, setting her own tablet onto the desk.

“Thank you! What did you do last night?”

“Oh, me? I just edited my newest post before putting it up.” Alya brandishes her phone like a showman, gestures bold and distracting. “I think it will be a pretty big hit with my viewers.”

“What’s it about?” Eden asks, leaning in to look at the small screen.

“It’s a comparison piece on the new heroes compared to the old ones,” Alya says, chest puffed up with a sense of pride. “I know the new heroes seem to be all the rage right now, but I just  _ know _ that my points are enough to change some minds. And when some people see the truth, others will follow.”

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re on that ‘Arctic Fox sucks’ train of thought again,” Chloé complains as she takes her seat in the front. She looks back at Alya with a pointed, bored stare. 

“And what if I am?” Alya bristles, and Eden feels herself shrink in, just a bit, to avoid that awful glare. 

She hates when they fight, it always feels so...chaotic. Uncontrollable. Can’t Chloé just...stop? She thought the girl was better than this, with how little the blonde speaks up.

Her thoughts feel confirmed when it isn’t Chloé who continues the conversation, but Félix. 

“Forgive me if I’m incorrect,” he starts, but for some reason Eden doesn’t think he really  _ cares _ if he’s wrong, “but didn’t Arctic Fox get picked nearly  _ two months ago _ ?” He waits for some people to agree, a few nodding, others muttering affirmations. “If that is the case, then why do you  _ continue _ to complain about the hero? It is  _ clear _ that he is the Fox, and that Rena Rouge will  _ not _ be coming back, so it does little to complain about obvious facts.”

Alya turns red, and Eden frowns as the girl shoves herself up, slamming her hands on the desk behind her. “Rena Rouge  _ will _ be coming back, mark my words! Arctic Fox is going to mess up sooner or later, and Ladybug will realize that he isn’t good enough!” 

Eden opens her mouth to speak, to maybe try to calm down the class, to calm down her best friend, but then-

“Alya,” Marinette says, voice gentle and so  _ sure _ that all voices quiet immediately. “How Arctic Fox acts is none of your concern at this point. If you want to make a difference, complaining on your blog won’t do much.”

“I-” Alya starts, eyes burning, but Marinette holds up a hand and continues.

“Instead, why not focus on yourself?” She smiles, but it’s not the same one that Marinette has given  _ her _ . “Focus on your own flaws, and when  _ those _ are fixed, you can start worrying about the heroes.” 

Alya fumes, and turns back around without another word. Perfect timing, too, because Miss Bustier arrives and starts preparing for class. The room stays rather quiet, her peers only conversing with their desk partner, and it gives Eden time to think.

And, good lord, does she have a lot to think about.

Like, for how much her classmates seem to like her, and are willing to invite her to hang out at the drop of a hat… there are tensions between them. Tensions that, when questioned, are blown off with a single word. Or, rather, two. It always changes.

“Heroes,” is one that she hears more and more frequently, the rate increasing as time goes by. And the other? 

“Lila.”

Eden, to be quite honest, doesn’t quite  _ get _ it. Who’s Lila? What did she do?

Nobody is willing to explain.

Except Alya. But Alya never really makes sense, never really goes through an order of events. She just...yells. A lot. 

There’s little that Eden knows about the class. But she does know a little, and it’s a start.

They used to all be friends. Emphasis on the  _ used to _ . The boys seem to be fine with each other, and the girls are all polite, friendly, open.

But then there are some...anomalies.

Chloé and Sabrina, to start. Off in their little corner in the front, somehow isolated from the rest despite being in everyone’s sight. They don’t really interact with the rest of the group...but they seem to show promise.

“They’re just bullies,” Alya has claimed to Eden, time and time again, but Eden doesn’t see that. She sees two girls just trying to get through life. Sure, Chloé can become rather snarky every so often, and Sabrina can be a bit too quick to defend the blonde’s insults, but they seem to tone down their problems with every passing day.

And Marinette seems to like that.

Marinette is another anomaly. She’s polite. Sweet. Kind. The perfect girl, with beauty, brains, and a bright smile to perk up anyone’s day. She’s kind to the ‘bullies’, she hangs out with the cold and standoffish Félix, the shy Juleka, the loud and brash Kim. Even Adrien, who seems rather odd himself, rather...intense, in a way that Eden just cannot describe, is her friend!

But she skirts around Alya, with disappointed looks and a blank, smileless face. And Alya refuses to say  _ why _ .

Alya is the final anomaly. She seems kind, open, a go getter who shouldn’t have trouble making friends. But it’s like she’s the one on thin ice with the class, like she’s the one doing wrong. 

And Alya refuses to say why.

It’s something about heroes, something about a girl named Lila. But that’s all Eden knows, all Eden truly comprehends right now.

But maybe it’s not her place to question the who’s and the what’s, and maybe it’s only her place to be friends and be happy, to be on top of her own life.

To have a perfect Friday, with perfect friends and a perfect life.

And one day? One day, someone will sit down and explain everything. And Eden will know, and Eden will understand.

And when she gets that knowledge, she’ll know what to do from there, and just how to use that information.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a nice little chapter from a perfectly normal girl's view~ <3


	46. Ice Cream Revelations

Chapter Forty-Six

It’s a Saturday, it’s been a hell of a week...and Marinette is too afraid to wish for any more normal days. (God forbid that she wants some relaxation, rather than an Akuma to deal with.) 

So instead of wishing and hoping, only to jinx herself right away, Marinette just heads to school with her bag slung over her shoulder, ready to get through the short day before heading home to do some designing.

The room is fairly calm as she walks in, as calm as one would expect a group of teenagers to be. Marinette giggles as she heads to the back, finding Kagami in her seat and Luka draped on top of her desk...and Félix’s half, too. 

Oh well. The little details don’t matter when she walks up the steps, quickly garnering her friends’ attention.

“Marinette!” Rose cheers. “How are you?”

“I’m good,” Marinette responds happily, setting her backpack on the floor. “I’m ready for the weekend, though. It’ll be nice to get some rest.”

Her friends nod, agreeing easily.

“You do look like you need some rest,” Kagami admits, by now perched gently on top of her desk, having moved Luka to sit fully on Félix’s side. “But if you’re up to it, I was hoping we could hang out after school?” She doesn’t break eye contact, even as her gaze seems to hesitate ever so slightly- or perhaps Marinette is just imagining things.

“I’d love to! Just us, or all of us?” She asks, gesturing to all of the people in the back. 

Kagami’s mouth twitches, then she smiles lightly. “For...everyone.” Her eyes sweep the group as she asks, “Is anyone else joining us after school?”

“I can,” Luka says with an easy smile. “I’m always free for you, Marinette.” 

She’s not blushing, and no one can prove it.

Félix smiles softly. “I’d be happy to join in, my schedule is clear for the rest of the day.”

“Great!” Marinette cheers, feeling her smile grow with every additional agreement. “Rose? Juleka?”

Rose hums, then nods. “Yeah! That sounds like fun!” She looks at Juleka. “You’ll come too, right?”

“I, uh, sure.” Juleka blushes at the attention, luckily Rose looks away seconds later. 

Marinette beams. “Perfect!” She looks at Kagami. “Where do you want to go, then?”

“I do believe André’s ice cream cart is located nearby for the day,” Kagami says. “Want to go there?”

Marinette cringes for a moment, remembering the first time she went. She shakes her head slightly, knocking the memories away (especially the realization that Adrien had  _ ditched them  _ so he could go woo  _ her _ as Ladybug) before nodding. “Yeah, that sounds fun!” 

Ice cream is always good, right?

Right!

Mylène perks up, turning around to look at Marinette. “Oh, you’re going to André’s today, too? Me and Ivan were planning to find him after school!”

“Aw, that’s adorable!” Rose coos. “You should join us!”

“Can we?” The petite girl asks, and Marinette nods.

“Yeah! The more the merrier!”

Another row ahead, Eden joins the conversation. “He’s the one who can predict true love, right?” She asks.

“Yep! Rumor has it, the colors of your ice cream match the colors of the person you’ll fall in love with and be with for the rest of your life!” Rose sighs, leaning into Juleka. “Isn’t it romantic?”

“Yeah,” Juleka agrees softly. 

“Ooh! What if I get  _ her _ colors?!” Rose squeals. 

“You mean Reptilitany’s?” Félix asks, a brow quirked. “Purple and black?”

“Sounds like another girl’s colors,” Luka mutters, gaze set on his little sister, and Marinette has to force her face to stay blank. 

Rose nods so quick, Marinette wonders if her neck is sore. “Yeah! Oh, what if Reptilitany goes to André’s ice cream cart? Do you think she would?”

Marinette frowns. “I’m not sure if she would have a chance to. The heroes still have to be civilians, too, you know?”

“Oh, right…” Rose shakes off her disappointment, quickly turning to Juleka to talk about the possible colors her ice cream may be.

Eden pulls Marinette’s attention away, asking, “Would it be alright if  _ I  _ joined?” She looks nervous. 

This time, Kagami is the one to agree. “Of course,” she says. “Anyone can.”

Marinette isn’t sure, but Kagami sounds a bit...bitter?

(Meanwhile, Luka and Félix are amused, knowing that Kagami was trying to set up a date.) 

The warning bell rings before anyone else can join in, and Kagami and Luka head off, not ones to be late. Marinette leans back into her seat, and the lesson starts soon after.

\-----

André Glacier is, for once, actually in the spot he’s supposed to be. Marinette wonders if this constitutes an award, or if she should just be grateful that she isn’t going on a manhunt over an ice cream cone. 

She’ll go with grateful, because that’s what she is. Beaming, the bluenette follows Kagami’s lead as the fencer guides the rather large group, calm and poised like usual.

(If Marinette had seen the pink dusted on Kagami’s face, she would’ve thought otherwise.)

They reach the ice cream man without issue, and André beams at the students as he greets them.

“Bonjour!” He says, voice bursting out, deep and excited. “It’s nice to see so many familiar faces, and a few new ones, too.” Grabbing an ice cream scooper, he says, “Now don’t be shy! Come up, and I shall serve you what your heart desires!”

Marinette giggles at the man’s theatrics, stepping into the quickly forming line. Almost all of the class had come, including Chloé and Sabrina, who had announced that they were joining the moment class ended. Nathaniel stands beside Marc, the two talking quietly with one another. (Vaguely, Marinette wonders if the two are together or not. She’s not really sure, to be honest..) Alix and Kim make bets on who can eat their ice cream faster, with Max and Nino sighing as they try to discourage the two. (As if their protests would work.) Even  _ Adrien _ made it, the model just as happy as he watches Alix and Kim argue. 

It’s chaotic, but it’s her class. (Well, all but one, but she hadn’t followed…)

Marinette shakes her head, brushing away her thoughts. If Alya didn’t want to join, that’s not for Marinette to worry about. For now, Marinette should only worry about one thing: getting ice cream.

And so she does. Finally getting her turn, the bluenette steps up to André with a smile.

“Marinette!” The man cheers. “Back once more to see what love has in store?” 

“You know it!” Marinette giggles, wondering if her colors have changed.

They have. 

“Oh my,” André starts, scooping up mint. “It seems that your heart no longer belongs to the one it used to.” A scoop of lemon. “But that is alright, the heart may be fickle but it knows who to love in the end.” A scoop of blueberry. “I hope that, this time, you may find your happy ending, little one.”

“Thank you,” Marinette says, exchanging money for ice cream as she takes her personalized treat. She heads over to those with their own treats, looking at theirs while she starts to eat her own.

Rose is ecstatic, her ice cream a blend of raspberry and cookies and cream. Juleka, meanwhile, is as pink as her plain strawberry ice cream with gold sprinkles on top. Marinette has to hold back her giggles as she looks at the pair, instead turning her gaze to look at the others.

Ivan and Mylène share one, their mix a perfect blend of their colors. They seem happy, sharing it with each other. It’s cute. 

Eden seems happy, eating a blueberry and strawberry mixture. Marinette wonders who it’s supposed to resemble, but decides it’s not for her to question.

She stops looking when she reaches Kagami, Luka, and Félix...because all three have the same exact ice cream. They seem just as confused, looking at one another with skeptical gazes, as if something is wrong.

Marinette stares at their mixtures, trying to figure it out. There’s blueberry, strawberry, and mint, with crushed oreos sprinkled on top. They seem perfectly planned, but...but André  _ never _ gives the same ice cream twice.

And then Marinette gets it. It makes so much sense.

Blueberry- she looks to Luka- for his hair. Strawberry- she looks to Kagami- for her fencing outfit. And mint- she looks at Félix, at his icy blue-gray gaze- for his eyes. The crumbled cookie shows off the black in their hero suits, a sprinkling of their hidden identities.

They’re made for each other. 

For some reason, Marinette feels her heart squeeze, and her eyes begin to water. She looks down, not wanting to see the clearly budding romance.

She looks at her own mix, and she understands more.

Mint for her Cat.

Lemon for her Bee.

Blueberry for her Fox.

Marinette fell for her partners, without even realizing it...and they’re made for each other. 

Marinette frowns at her ice cream, appetite quickly disappearing. She can’t...can’t believe it. The moment, the  _ moment _ she realizes her feelings, realizes that the skipped beats and blushes meant something...of  _ course _ it’s when she realizes that she doesn’t have a chance.

It feels like karma, but Marinette doesn’t know what she’s done.

She’s being irrational, she tells herself. She needs to calm down. So what, she accidentally fell in love with her three best friends? So what, she’s been falling for the past few months? So what, she’s setting herself up for heartbreak? 

Distantly, Marinette hears the flapping of wings. 

She needs to push it all aside. 

Her lungs are full, but she can’t breathe.

She shoves it down, forces air to flow. Forces herself to smile, and back up just a step. Forces herself to ignore her feelings, just for a little while.

A hand touches her shoulder, and Marinette jolts ever so slightly. She looks up, locking eyes with Eden.

“Are you alright?” The other bluenette asks, voice soft and quiet, eyes searching.

“Hmm? Yeah!” Marinette smiles wider, ignoring how it feels wobbly. Ignoring the way Eden clearly doesn’t believe her. “How’s your ice cream?”

Eden giggles, looking down at her nearly finished treat. “It’s great. Blueberry and strawberry go really well together, don’t you think?”

Marinette cringes ever so slightly. “Yeah. It seems to be popular today.”

Eden nods. “I guess you’re right. You got it, I got it, and so did they.” She gestures to the three behind Marinette, who are still eyeing one another and slowly eating their desserts. 

“Yeah.” Marinette takes a bite, but it doesn’t sit right. It tastes like guilt. 

“You’re sure you’re feeling okay?” Eden asks, putting a gentle hand on Marinette’s arm. “You seem a little lost right now.”

“I’m...I’m good.” Marinette nods, as if that confirms it, makes her lies true. “I guess I’m just not in the mood for ice cream right now.” 

She throws it in the trash, not noticing how the action draws the attention of the three people she fell for. Shrugging, she looks around at her peers. They all look so happy, so at ease. They’re all unaware of Marinette’s conflicted feelings.

Suddenly, Marinette just wants to  _ run _ . 

So she looks to Eden with a false, apologetic smile. “I think I’m going to head on out for the day,” she says, trying to keep her voice cheerful. “I’m pretty tired, I think I’m just going to go rest for a bit.”

“Oh, okay!” Eden’s smile shrinks ever so slightly, but she nods anyways. “I’ll see you on Monday, Marinette!”

“Yep!” Then she’s making her way through their group, slipping through their mini crowd, slipping past Luka and Kagami and Félix. She ignores the questioning looks sent her way, disappearing out of sight.

When she’s finally alone, Tikki pops her head out. “Are you okay, Marinette?” She asks, voice filled with so much concern that Marinette nearly cries right then and there.

“Yeah,” she responds, voice cracking. “I’m just in love.”

Tikki doesn’t seem to understand why Marinette frowns, and Marinette knows she’ll have to explain later. But for now, Tikki just asks, “Is there anything I can do?”

“Can we transform for a bit?” Marinette asks. “I just need some fresh air.”

“Of course,” Tikki agrees without hesitation, and so Ladybug sprints through the city’s skyline only seconds later, swinging away from her feelings, and the problems that seem to rise up with every passing second.

Later, she knows, she’ll break. She’ll realize that she’s fallen for someone out of her reach, just like last time. She’ll tell herself that everything is okay, just like last time. She’ll acknowledge that they’re all wonderful people, deserving of each other, and she won’t get in the way of love, just like last time. She’ll hurt herself to help them, just like last time. Just like the time she set Kagami and Adrien up, but Luka won’t be there for her this time. No, Luka will be there with Kagami, and Félix, too. And Marinette will be alone. But that’s all for later. For now, Ladybug doesn’t worry about love, doesn’t worry about heartbreak.

For just a moment, she can breathe.

And that’s all she needs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At long last, we find out who Marinette's heart longs for!   
What a shame, that things seem to be so much worse now that she's realized it...


	47. Vague Admissions

Chapter Forty-Seven

_ Luka _

Luka has always known that Marinette is a special, extraordinary girl. From the moment they met, her song was captivating, pulling the boy in until the only notes he could hear was hers, the only rhythm he swayed to was hers, the only thoughts he had were of her. Finding out she was Ladybug didn’t really strengthen his feelings or his view, only confirmed it. Marinette was not one to be underestimated, or forgotten, or shoved to the side. No, Luka has always known that Marinette is one to be treasured and loved as the gift to the world that she is.

Unfortunately, it seems that two of his friends feel the exact same way. 

He had his suspicions before, of course. Luka isn’t blind, he’s seen the way Félix relaxes more around Marinette, seen the kind eyes that Kagami had only for the bluenette. And he’s not deaf, either. He’s heard their songs, heard how they changed over time. Félix’s became softer, his harsh beats soothed into a pleasant melody, as icy glares turned to warm smiles. Kagami’s became sweeter, sharp notes being tuned whenever the fencer caught sight of Marinette. And yet Luka was able to brush it off, to pretend they were just friends of Marinette’s. 

But standing here, looking at the matching ice creams that all three have?

Luka knows that he isn’t the only one dreaming of Marinette and her heart’s song. 

Félix and Kagami stare right back, all three trying to figure out what to do next. And what can be done? All three fell for Marinette, the blueberry, strawberry, and mint make that  _ very _ clear...but what does this mean?

Luka locks eyes with Félix. His melody is even, no scratches, no concerns. He’s just analyzing Luka for an idea. 

A look to Kagami, and her tempo seems to speed up ever so slightly. She’s not one to hesitate, he knows this by now, and if he doesn’t act...she will. Her narrowing eyes send the message as easily as her song.

Marinette walks over, and immediately her song reaches his ears. At first it’s confused, the tempo jumping around, unsure of what to land on.

And then, suddenly, it stops. It scratches to a halt, and Luka feels frozen as he glares at the other two. He’s never heard it  _ stop _ . 

Then it picks up, rapid and wild. Her normal beat is replaced with something untamed, and she backs away. She’s talking to someone, stepping away from them.

Luka looks over, just in time to see her throw out her own ice cream. It’s blueberry, lemon, and mint. 

For some reason, the colors resonate in his heart, but he doesn’t know what they mean. He does know, however, that Marinette is racing off. 

“I’ve got to go,” Luka mutters to Félix and Kagami, throwing out his half finished treat in favor of looking for his melody.

He finds her on the rooftops.

Ladybug leaps across the skyline, movement sharp and precise. She swings across the city, not waiting for air.

Not waiting for him, either, but Luka can catch up.

“Trixx?” He whispers, and the Kwami slips out of his hoodie.

“Just say the words,” Trixx advises, and Luka nods.

“Trixx, let’s pounce!” A flash of color, a rush of energy, and then Arctic Fox is leaping across the rooftops much like Ladybug, slowly catching up.

She’s far from the group when he finds her, sitting at the edge of a roof, legs dangling in the air. Her head is dropped, and Arctic can hear her stuttering melody, scratching and freezing and forcing itself to restart over and over and-

He steps forward, and Ladybug’s head jolts up.

“Arctic Fox?” Ladybug asks, voice soft and oh so  _ broken _ . “What- what are you doing here?”

Arctic Fox smiles gently, shrugging. “I saw you up here. I was wondering if you needed help.”

Ladybug shakes her head, a watery smile snaking onto her face. “No, everything is fine! There’s no Akuma.”

“That isn’t what I asked,” Arctic says, and Ladybug’s song halts again.

It restarts a moment later, practically muted. “ _ Oh _ .” 

“What’s the matter?” Arctic asks, sitting down beside her. 

“It’s a secret identity thing,” Ladybug forces out, looking down. “You don’t need to worry about it, trust me.”

Arctic Fox just keeps that gentle smile on his face, touching her shoulder gently. “I’d like to, if you don’t mind.” He looks away, then, letting Ladybug breathe without his gaze on her. “You shouldn’t have to deal with everything alone.”

“But you might figure out my identity, and-”

_ I already do. _ “Just be vague. Don’t use their real names.” 

“I-” her melody seems to relax, evening out slightly. She breathes out, an exhale of resignation. “Okay.”

Arctic Fox makes sure not to look at her as she speaks, noticing how she’s slightly calmer when eyes aren’t on her.

“So I have these three friends,” Ladybug starts. “They’ve been the best friends I could  _ ever _ ask for, okay? They’re all so kind, and they support me and encourage me, and I don’t think you’d know this, Arctic, but I had a lot of troubles with my peers and these three have been by my side for as long as they could.” She breathes out, a shaky laugh. “They’re perfect...and I just realized this but…” 

“But?” He asks, when her story doesn’t continue. He worries, his own melody pausing, waiting for the rest of her statement. But  _ what _ ?

“But I fell in love with them.” The words hit him in the heart, and Arctic has to hide the joy that threatens to overwhelm him. He breathes normally instead, calm and collected.

“Why is this a problem?” He asks, as if he doesn’t understand. (And he doesn’t, really.)

“They’re in love with each other,” she whispers, and Arctic freezes.

‘ _ We are? _ ’ “How do you know?”

“We...we went to get ice cream….recently.” Ladybug frowns. “They all got the exact same cone.”

“Ah. Was it that André guy?” Arctic Fox asks, and Ladybug nods. “It’s funny that that happened to you, because it just happened to me and two of my friends.”

Ladybug tries to act shocked, truly, but she’s not quite an actress and Arctic has to pretend that he believes it. “Oh? Really?”

“Yeah.” He scoffs, then smiles at her. “But we aren’t in love, I know it.” 

“You...aren’t?” 

“No. It just sucks, really.”

“Why?”

“Because now I have competition.” He winks at her. “But it makes sense. I mean, Marinette is  _ amazing _ , it’s no wonder that we all fell for her.”

Arctic Fox can see the exact moment that Ladybug freezes, that record scratch interrupting her melody once more as she processes the information.

Trying to hide her blush, Ladybug looks away. “You and your friends all love  _ Marinette _ ? Not...not each other?”

“Not each other,” Arctic Fox confirms. “I suppose I should be  _ glad _ , though.”

“Glad?”

“Well, yes. I love Marinette, I have for a while. I’m glad that other people can see how wonderful she is.”

“That’s so sweet,” Ladybug whispers.

Arctic Fox shrugs again. “She means the world to me,” he says, sincere as her melody. “If she got hurt, I’d do whatever I could to help. If she was upset, I’d lift the world to see her smile. I’d do anything for her...even if it means stepping aside if she falls in love with one of the others more.”

“And what if she loves you all equally?”

Arctic Fox doesn’t know the answer quite yet, but he has an idea. “I’m not sure, but I have no doubts it would all work out in the end.”

“How can you be so sure of that?”

“Well  _ that’s _ simple.” Arctic Fox laughs. “When it comes to Marinette, there’s nothing that  _ can’t  _ be done.” A flash of yellow and gray reaches his eyes, and Arctic makes one final remark. “After all, she’s miraculous.”

Something flashes in Ladybug’s eyes, but she doesn’t say anything more. Instead, their conversation is cut off by the sound of Belle Abeille’s spinning top hooking on to the roof, pulling her- and Félix- up.

“I found this boy,” Belle Abeille says simply. “He said he was looking for a friend.”

“Marinette,” Félix says simply, and the way he looks straight at Ladybug makes everything clear- Félix knows her identity. “She disappeared from our group, and I thought a high vantage point and a hero could help me find her.”

Ladybug smiles at the boy, and Arctic sees how red her cheeks are becoming. “I think I saw Marinette heading back home. She seemed rather tired, perhaps you should let her rest.”

“Ah, of course.” Félix frowns slightly, lips turning down, and Ladybug hums. 

“Here, I’ll take you closer to your home. You live only a few blocks down, right?” She asks, and Belle and Arctic both ignore that Ladybug, technically, should not know this.

“Yeah. Thank you, Ladybug.” Félix steps closer to Ladybug, who quickly picks up the boy- face darkening further- and leaps into the streets. 

Arctic Fox looks at Belle Abeille, who stares after Ladybug with a wistful gaze.

“So you know, too?” Arctic asks, and Belle stiffens before turning around.

“I have no clue what you are talking about.”

“I saw how you looked at her.” He shrugs, and the lemon flavor flashes in his mind. Of course. “You know who she is, don’t you?”

“It’s not for me to say.” But she nods ever so slightly nonetheless, eyes analyzing him, too. He can’t tell if she realizes it yet, but she seems to be figuring him out, too.

“She’s in love with her three best friends,” he mentions lightly. “And all three of her friends seem to love her back.”

Belle Abeille’s face turns pink, confirming his suspicions. The fencer turns her head up, staring at the sky. “So what do you think w-  _ they _ should do?”

“I think they should work together,” Arctic suggests, leaning back until he’s laying on the roof, legs still hanging over the edge. “She deserves all of the love she can get.”

Silence, then footsteps. Belle Abeille lays down as well, shuts her eyes.

“I suppose you are right,” she says at last, and Arctic smiles. 

A few minutes pass in silence, and then two pairs of footsteps join them. Arctic glances up, seeing Ladybug back, and Chat Ruse following.

“I ran into him as I dropped off Félix,” Ladybug says with a shrug, acting casual, and Chat nods politely.

“I thought I could join the, well...whatever this is.” He gestures to Belle and Arctic, relaxing on the roof.

“Superhero slumber party,” Belle mutters, and Ladybug lets out a small laugh.

“I could use some rest,” she admits, and lays down beside Arctic. Chat Ruse slips over to her other side, content.

Soon, Arctic decides, he will talk to Kagami and Félix about what to do. Today, however?

Today he spends his last few hours before nightfall dozing on a rooftop, letting the melody of his love and the songs of his friends play around him like his own personal lullaby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D
> 
> Alright, I'm going to be honest. It was practically a coin toss for how this story would go after last chapter. It was either this (which I preferred because I wanted blushy Ladybug as Luka 'accidentally' tells Ladybug he loves her civilian identity)...or Marinette convincing her friends that she's *fine*, and trying to set them up and tearing her own heart out because she wanted them happy but she also wanted to be with them.
> 
> I decided to let Marinette be happy, in other words. ;)


	48. Rooftop Conversations

Chapter Forty-Eight

Marinette never thought that finding out her love was returned could be so  _ stressful _ , and yet here she is, pacing her room and freaking out on a Sunday morning. The Kwami watch their master as she pulls at her pigtails, not sure what to do.

“Marinette,” Tikki starts slowly, “you still haven’t explained the problem. Why is this a bad thing?”

“Because!” Marinette shouts, turning to face all of the tiny deities that live in her room. “All three of them lo- like me! And I love them  _ all _ !” Her face burns, she knows this, but she continues nonetheless. “I fell in love with all three of my best friends! And they all feel the same!”

Without Plagg here to be the blunt one, Kaalki fills the role, asking, “And what’s the problem with  _ that _ , Marinette?”

Sputtering, Marinette points out, “I can’t exactly date them  _ all _ ! That, that just doesn’t happen! And it’d be unfair to them!”

“Okay, then which one do you like the most? Date them.” Kaalki shrugs, reaching one of her hooves up to toy with her mane. “Which do you prefer? I like the blond. He’s got good style, and he seems rather famous. I’d work with him.” 

“Only Kaalki would choose a significant other based on  _ looks _ and  _ fame _ ,” Wayzz says, frowning in that parental way of his. “Marinette, I implore you to choose someone who will make you happy. Perhaps Luka? You have said that he helps you to calm down, you deserve someone who can help you with your stress.”

“She deserves someone bold!” Barkk yips, flying forwards eagerly. “Kagami will defend her, she deserves a good member for her pack!” The tiny dog looks to Marinette with wide, excited eyes. “What do you think, Marinette?”

“I think...I think…” Marinette groans, falling into her desk chair. “I think they’re  _ all _ amazing. Luka is sweet and supportive. He’s been there for me the longest, and he’s never doubted me. He’s cool and talented and kind and….he’d be perfect. But then there’s Kagami! And she’s so  _ bold _ . She never hesitates or doubts what she does, and she’s so confident! She’s pretty and strong...and then she can be really gentle and blunt at the same time and I get so flustered! And then there’s Félix! He’s cold, yes, but that’s until you get to know him. He’s so patient and helpful, and he uses logic when I’m too stuck in my own head to think. He’s clever and rational...and he has the cutest little smile that he gets and I think he only gives it to me but either way it’s so soft and small and  _ precious _ and- and I just can’t figure it out! They’re all amazing, it’s not fair of me to decide which one is better because they’re  _ all  _ better.” Marinette groans, dropping her head on her desk. “Why is love so  _ hard _ ?”

There’s a few minutes of silence, where the only thing Marinette hears is her breathing. Finally, though, she feels a slight bump to her shoulder.

Tikki is smiling sweetly at her, sitting on her arm. “Marinette, you don’t have to choose right now. Why don’t we go on a patrol? You could use some fresh air, and it’ll give you a chance to clear your head.”

Marinette smiles at her Kwami. “That sounds like fun.” Looking at the other Kwami, she says, “I’ll let you guys stay out, just...don’t get seen, okay?” They agree easily, and so Marinete looks back to Tikki. “Okay. Fresh air. That sounds good. Tikki, spots on!”

Less than a minute later, Ladybug is leaping off of her balcony, searching the streets for danger. 

Nothing is going on. The city of Paris is calm and cheerful, content to spend their day in peace. There’s nothing to do, no one to save. Sure, a few people smile and wave, but then they go on their days and she goes on hers.

Her head still isn’t clear, and the bluenette can’t help but feel frustrated.

‘ _ If only I had someone to talk to, _ ’ Ladybug thinks to herself, and then she spots Juleka in the streets. The goth girl is by herself, peering into a shop. She seems bored, just glancing around. 

An idea strikes her when Juleka looks up and spots her. Surprised, the violet-eyed girl waves. Ladybug waves back, then signals to the girl to wait. Juleka nods, and Ladybug swings away quickly.

Soon, Ladybug returns with a familiar Snake bangle, and Reptilitany joins her on patrol.

“Is there an Akuma?” Reptilitany asks, eyes searching for danger.

“Nope,” Ladybug responds cheerfully. “I was just on patrol, and you seemed bored. I thought you might like to join me.”

“O-oh!” Reptilitany says, somewhat flustered. “Thank you, I was bored. This is...nice.” 

“I’m glad you feel that way.” Ladybug smiles at her classmate. “Admittedly, I was worried you wouldn’t join me.”

“Of course I’d join you!” Reptilitany shouts, then shrinks in on herself slightly. Voice lowered, she adds, “You’re Ladybug, of  _ course _ I’d join you.”

Ladybug sighs. “Don’t feel as if you have to join me just because of my reputation, Repti.”

“I don’t!” Again, her voice raises only to be lowered. “I just wanted you to know you can count on me.”

The words are touching, but Marinette already knew that Juleka would always be there for her. “I see. Thank you, Reptilitany.” She lets out a small laugh. “Honestly, I just don’t want to be alone right now.”

“Why not?” Her question is simple, and though Reptilitany seems to regret the straightforwardness, she doesn’t back down. 

“I’ve got a...bit of a dilemma, I suppose.” Ladybug shrugs. “It’s a bit silly, to be honest. A love issue.”

“Ladybug,” Reptilitany deadpans, “the girl I fell in love with  _ years _ ago fell for my hero identity. I think I know silly.”

“R-right.” Ladybug sighs, looking ahead as she jumps through the air. “So I have some friends at school. And I...I fell in love with them. Recently, I found out that they all feel the same way. I’m not quite sure what to do about it.”

“I see.” Reptilitany frowns. “So, you’re trying to pick which one to date, I’m assuming?”

“Yeah. They’re all amazing, and I’m just stuck trying to figure out who I should, I don’t know, ask out?”

“Why not wait for them to ask you out?”

“Huh?”

“Ladybug, you’re a smart girl. You’re clever, independent, and talented enough to take the world by storm. If they see all of this, at least _ one _ will be smart enough to make the first move. And whoever does that? Date them.” 

“I suppose that works,” Ladybug admits. Smiling, she says, “Thank you, Reptilitany.”

“Of course.” 

The two patrol in silence for a while, just enjoying the breeze and the view. Ladybug feels better, letting the decision fall to her best friends. For once, she’ll let someone else make a move, instead of forcing stress onto herself.

Seeing that it's nearly lunchtime, Ladybug sighs happily and turns to Reptilitany. “Now is probably a good time to wrap up patrol,” Ladybug announces, and Reptilitany jolts a bit. “It’s nearly time to eat, and there’s no danger to be found. Thanks for joining me today, Repti.”

“Of course! I guess we should go find an alley, so you can take the Miraculous with you?” Reptilitany asks, already preparing to jump back to the streets.

But Ladybug smiles and shakes her head. “No. I think I’ll let you hold onto it for a few days.”

“What?” Reptilitany asks, shocked.

“It won’t be permanent, but it’s a thank you for taking some time to help me with my civilian problems,” Ladybug explains. “Why don’t you visit your lovely fan soon, hmm? I’m sure Rose would love it if you met her at her window, don’t you think?”

Reptilitany’s blush and silent thank you is the last thing Ladybug sees before heading home.

Detransforming, Marinette feels good. She’s sure that the future will be bright.

And oh, she can’t  _ wait  _ to hear Rose’s reaction to Reptilitany’s sudden arrival. 


	49. ReptiRose

Chapter Forty-Nine

_ Juleka _

Juleka paces the deck of The Liberty, mind racing. Her violet eyes scan the twilight sky as she twists the bangle on her wrist. 

_ “Why don’t you visit your lovely fan soon, hmm?”  _ Ladybug’s voice taunts in her ears, even though hours have passed since she saw the heroine.  _ “I’m sure Rose would love it if you met her at your window, don’t you think?”  _

Juleka blushes at the idea, tearing her eyes away from the moon. The thought is tempting, going over to Rose’s as Reptilitany. As her hero. 

And no one is stopping her. Nobody told her  _ not _ to. Hell, Ladybug herself told Juleka it would be a good idea.

So why is Juleka hesitating?

She can’t find a reason to, and so she looks to Sass with a shy smile.

“Sass, do you mind if we transform for a little while?” She asks, voice soft in the quiet of night. 

Sass lets out a hiss, but it’s not hostile. It’s gentle, more like his version of a hum. Almost...calming, she supposes. 

Slowly, the Snake nods. “I sssupose. Jusst try not to be out too long, you do have sschool tomorrow.”

Juleka feels her smile growing. “Of course. Sass, scales slither.” She shuts her eyes as light overwhelms her, filling her with energy and power. When she opens her eyes, she’s covered in the black and purple suit that she’s come to love, and she leaps off of the boat, disappearing into the darkness.

As Reptilitany darts through the air, she feels more confident than ever before. The suit gives her freedom, she supposes, from the fears of being alive. It gives her air to breathe, sights to see..

It gives her a chance to love.

The thought rings in her head, rampant and wild, as she lands on the roof across from Rose’s home. The blonde lives in a small apartment, four stories from the ground floor. If Reptilitany is right, it has to be…

One of the windows lights up, and the Snake sees pink. 

That one.

Silently, Reptilitany leaps over to the apartment, catching on to the tiny edge of brick that Reptilitany can barely call a windowsill. Reptilitany situates herself, getting into a somewhat comfortable crouch, then knocks gently on the window.

Rose spots her right away. Her blue eyes light up in recognition, and she’s quick to dart over and open the window.

“Reptilitany!” She shouts, and Reptilitany hushes her. “Sorry!” Voice quieter, she asks, “What are you doing here? Is something wrong?”

The Snake smiles awkwardly, responding, “Nothing...nothing is wrong. Can I come in?”

The words jolt Rose back to life, and she moves out of the way in a flash. “O-of course! Come in!”

Reptilitany does just that, careful not to make a sound. She looks around, as if she’s never seen the place before, even though she’s been here hundreds of times. After a few seconds, she looks back to her friend. “Cute,” she mumbles. 

“Huh?”

“It’s nice. Very...you.” Reptilitany kicks herself mentally, that’s the  _ best _ she can say? She knows she’s bad at small talk, but Rose is her best friend!

Oh, who is she kidding? Rose is so much more than that.

Rose doesn’t sense her internal dying, instead giggling, flustered. “Oh! Thank you, Reptilitany. Um...if you don’t mind, can I ask why you came? Not that I mind your presence! You’re an amazing hero and I’m honored to have you here- not that I only like your presence  _ because _ you’re a hero, you’re talented and beautiful and- oh mon Dieu I sound like Marinette.” Her words end in a whine, the blonde sinking to the floor. 

(In the distance, Marinette wakes up with a start. As Tikki looks at her chosen with confusion, the secret hero mutters, “I feel like someone’s talking shit.” Tikki can only sigh and go back to sleep.)

Reptilitany laughs softly, and a bit of her nerves wash away with Rose’s rambling. She’s not the only one flustered, and somehow...that helps.

It’s with this newfound confidence that Reptilitany smiles softly and says, “I came to see you.”

Rose stares up at her, eyes twinkling. “Really?” She breathes out, and Reptilitany laughs again.

“Really.” She holds out a hand, letting her actions speak when she can’t all the way. “Want to see the world with me? I’d like to show you the view, if you don’t mind.”

Rose takes her hand silently, allowing the hero to pull her up. “I’d love to,” she says, and Reptilitany smiles.

In moments, Reptilitany has the petite girl clutched to her chest, Rose’s arms snaking around her neck and holding on firmly. For a split second, she wonders if any of the other heroes have done something like this. Then she brushes the thought off, because in the end it doesn’t matter. Instead, she takes a deep breath, adjusts her grip on Rose, and leaps out of the window.

The night is silent, all except for Rose’s excited squeals. It’s endearing, hearing her closest friend as she cheers with every leap, letting the air get knocked out of her only to pull more in to cheer again. Rose’s blue eyes shine as she looks around, and Reptilitany has to remind herself to focus on her path, tracking familiar spots to make sure she’s on the right path.

First she passes her home, the boat for once silent and asleep. Then she passes Marinette’s house and the bakery below, the girl, for some reason, awake and on her balcony. The bluenette waves, a surprised laugh bubbles out of Rose in response. Finally, they make it to their destination- the Eiffel Tower. 

Gently, Reptilitany sets down Rose, making sure that the girl is able to sit comfortably before letting go, sitting beside the blonde.

“Is this what you wanted to show me?” Rose asks, voice soft and full of wonder. “I’ve never been so high up. It’s so beautiful, with the stars out and...wow.” Her voice trails away, the blonde captivated by the sight before her. 

Just like Reptilitany is captivated by the girl beside her. 

The noirette sighs, leaning against one of the many beams of the Tower. She’s known for  _ years _ that Rose is amazing- that she’s sweet, selfless, and supportive. The blonde is one of the purest people in all of Paris, it’s unsurprising that she stole Reptilitany’s heart so long ago.

But admitting that out loud? That’s another thing.

Reptilitany isn’t much. Rose doesn’t see that, doesn’t see that her quiet, anxious friend is under the mask. Rose doesn’t see the girl that fell for her best friend, the girl that’s been wishing for a moment where her feelings were returned. 

And now her feelings are returned, but it isn’t quite what Reptilitany longed for. It’s slightly off, with Rose falling for a more illusive, more exciting version that Reptilitany can’t truly portray without her face half-covered. It’s not fully her, and yet it’s the part of her that Reptilitany wants to be. 

Reptilitany sighs, half from love, half from pain, as the girl of her dreams basks in the city of love’s view. This moment should be perfect, and yet it’s slightly off center. A little crooked, the picture a little smudged.

But it’s  _ something _ .

And as Rose looks to her, blue eyes twinkling with adoration and excitement, Reptilitany can see past the smudges and smile back.

It’s something, and Reptilitany is glad to finally have anything at all. 

At least now she has a chance, and she has no intention to waste it.

Not now, not ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a cute little moment <3


	50. Confrontation

Chapter Fifty

Marinette can’t help but look forward to school on Monday morning. Normally, the bluenette would be groaning, annoyed at having to leave her bed...but she can’t deny that she wants to hear Rose’s recollection of last night.

After waking up late at night, feeling as if someone was talking about her, Marinette couldn’t fall back asleep right away. Instead, the designer decided to get some fresh air. She climbed up to her balcony, taking in the sight of the sleeping city, only to see a flash of pink and black as Reptilitany leaped past, Rose clutched in her arms. Smiling, Marinette waved at the duo, and she could faintly hear Rose’s laughter in response. She was glad to know that Juleka listened to her idea, going to see her crush.

Now Marinette just wants to know how the rest of the night went. So she rushes to get ready for school, throwing on her go-to outfit before racing out of the house, Tikki darting into her purse just in time. She quickly makes her way across the street, eager to hear the tale.

Rose is already gushing about it all when Marinette enters.

“-and then we sat there for a while, just seeing the view and- oh! Marinette!” Rose leaps out of her seat. “I saw you yesterday!”

Marinette giggles, making her way to the back, ignoring how her cheeks light up when Luka, Kagami, and Félix all look at her. “I saw you too, Rose! Where were you going with Reptilitany?” 

“She took me to the Eiffel Tower,” Rose says, swooning into Juleka. “It was so romantic!” 

“Seems like heroes have a thing for carrying civilians to moonlit destinations, huh?” Adrien adds in casually, and Rose blinks.

“What do you mean?” Rose asks. “Has it happened to you?”

“Not to me,” Adrien denies, but then adds, “but I saw Chat Noir carrying Marinette a few times.”

Marinette stiffens slightly as the class turns to stare at her.

“He did?” Félix asks, and his voice is almost  _ sharp _ as he toys with the ring that now rests on his finger. “When was this, Marinette?”

“Oh, that...that was a long time ago.” She giggles awkwardly, not sure why Adrien felt the need to bring it up. Maybe he just wanted to add into the conversation? Yeah, probably.

“What for?” Sabrina asks, then curls in on herself slightly. “If that isn’t too much to ask.”

“Oh. Uh. Well, he saved me from a few Akumas before. And then he took me to a rooftop once. That was right before Glaciator, actually.” 

Alya looks to Marinette, hurt evident in her eyes. “But that was  _ months _ ago! Why did you never tell me?”

“Because it wasn’t really a big deal?” Marinette responds, shrugging. “Chat Noir just wanted company. He was lonely. It didn’t seem like something I should broadcast.”

“Probably not,” Eden agrees. “Superheroes shouldn’t have their personal choices revealed just for some storytelling.”

Marinette nods easily. “Exactly! Chat was upset, it just felt wrong to bring it up.”

Eden smiles at Marinette, cheerful as she says, “That’s very commendable of you, Marinette. It’s nice to see someone looking out for the heroes of Paris.” She giggles. “Too many people just expect them to carry the world on their shoulders without thanks, it’s nice to see someone checking on them.”

Suddenly, the peaceful air breaks as Adrien mutters, “Yeah, you’d know about the heroes of Paris, wouldn’t you?”

Eden freezes, then looks to the blond slowly. “What do you mean, Adrien?” She asks, and her voice seems nervous. 

“Listen, Eden, I’m not a fool.” He glares at her, and Marinette can feel the hostility across the room. “All of the comments, the coverups, they’re not as good as you think.” 

“What...what are you talking about?” Eden asks, and...is she shaking? 

“Please, you know exactly what I mean... _ Ladybug _ .”

The class goes quiet. All around her, Marinette sees how her crushes react. Luka stiffens, Kagami narrows her eyes, and Félix rolls his own. They all wait for a reaction, for Eden’s next words.

But Alya doesn’t. Alya turns on her deskmate, eyes alight with fury. And Alya starts to shout. 

“ _ You’re  _ Ladybug?!” Alya screams, and Eden flinches back. 

“I-” Eden tries, but Alya slams her hands on the desk, standing up in her rage.

“Oh mon Dieu, you are! You fucking played me, didn’t you!” Alya practically snarls as Eden stands up slowly, trying to raise her hands in a placating gesture. “Do you think it's  _ funny _ ? Do you find it amusing, sitting next to your past partner? Have you been laughing at me this whole time, knowing I’m Rena and that you  _ replaced  _ me? Is this all a joke to you?” Alya scoffs, backing up. “What kind of fucking hero does that? Who do you think you  _ are _ ?”

Eden quivers in her spot, still standing, and Marinette stands up. She has to say  _ something _ .

But she’s beaten by Chloé, who scoffs. Instantly, the class turns its gaze to look at her. The blonde rolls her eyes, tossing her ponytail over her shoulder. Coldly, she states, “Eden hasn’t even gotten a  _ word _ out, so maybe you should let the girl confirm or deny Adrien’s  _ assumption _ before you continue to shout at her.” Her sharp glare disappears as she looks to the shaking bluenette, and Marinette can’t help but notice how  _ soft _ her voice is when she asks, “Eden, is Adrien correct?  _ Are  _ you Ladybug?” 

Marinette sees how Eden shakes her head slowly, tears building up now that she has a chance to breathe. “I’m not...I’m not Ladybug.” The words are choked out, watery. “I look up to her, sure. I...I think she’s an inspiration. She’s bold, and daring, and brave...and I wanted to be more like her. She’s my  _ hero _ . I didn’t know she hurt you, Alya. I, I-” Her words cut off, and Eden starts to cry. 

Alya and Adrien both stand still, shocked. It’s Alya who steps forwards though, face contorting with remorse as she says, “Oh my God, I’m so sorry girl. I, I didn’t think. I just heard Adrien, and you didn’t deny it, and I just assumed…”

“Yeah,” Eden says, voice shaking. She lets out a hiccuped laugh, head raising, tears clear for Marinette to see. “You just assumed.” She steps back. “And you didn’t even give me a chance to  _ speak _ . You didn’t even  _ ask _ , you just  _ assumed _ .” 

“Girl, I-”

“No. No, I can’t.” She shakes her head, backing up further. “I can’t do this right now.”

And Eden races out of the classroom, just as the warning bell rings. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to tell you all that Eden is a normal girl, did I not?
> 
> What a shame, that so many people come up with assumptions... ;)


	51. Asian Beetle

Chapter Fifty-One

As Luka and Kagami leave the classroom to head back to their own, Marinette sinks into her seat in shock. Miss Bustier comes in, smiling happily, unaware of the screaming that filled the class just seconds before. 

At the front of the class, Adrien stares at the empty spot with unblinking eyes. Slowly, the blond sits down, turning around and shrinking in on himself. Marinette almost feels bad for him, but all of her sympathy goes to Eden, who’s just  _ gone _ .

Alya seems shaken, too. She quivers, much like the gymnast had been only moments ago, hands over her mouth as she tries to hold in her own tears. The journalist drops into her seat, hiding her face in her arms as she lays her head on the desk.

It’s so silent, and it feels like the world will shatter at any second. Marinette feels the urge to move, to find Eden, because everything feels  _ wrong _ . She can tell that something bad will happen.

Of course, the bluenette is absolutely right.

Miss Bustier barely gets through her morning greeting before the door is being slammed open, an orange blur shooting into the class and knocking their teacher back. 

Marinette can’t help but gasp when the blur stands up, the Akuma seething with rage-  _ Eden _ seething with rage. Beside her, Félix stiffens, hand clutching his ring. 

The Akumatized bluenette stares defiantly at her peers as she takes a daunting step forward. Her normally cheery expression is long gone, the happy smile replaced by an angry scowl, her once shining blue eyes now alight with fury and further detailed by the orange, polka-dotted mask that covers half of her face. The mask matches the suit that the Akuma wears. It’s the same as Ladybug’s, but in that sickly orange color. Even her weapon, a yoyo, is that same orange and black mix. 

She’s like a copy of Ladybug, but just a few shades off. Just like Eden is to Marinette, her Akuma is an off-kilter version of her secret identity. She almost reminds Marinette of an-

“Eden,” Alya breathes out, and the Akuma snarls.

“That’s  _ Asian Beetle  _ to you,” Asian Beetle replies, and Marinette’s nerves only rise as the Akuma takes another step closer. “Or would you rather call me  _ Ladybug _ , since you were so quick to assume  _ he _ ,” she glares at Adrien, who shrinks into his seat further, “was right?” 

“Eden, I-” Alya tries, but Asian Beetle snaps, whipping out her yoyo and hitting it at the desk. The journalist lunges backwards, and their peers stand, ready to  _ move _ .

“You have no  _ right _ to say my name!” Asian Beetle shouts, still spinning her weapon. “You have no right to call me that, like you’re my friend! You and Adrien  _ both _ lost that right, and you lost the right to be happier than me.” Still as a statue, Asian Beetle freezes before monotonously saying, “Lucky trinket.” 

A flash of orange fills the air, and then a pair of scissors fall into Asian Beetle’s waiting hand, that same orange and black color as the rest of the girl’s apparel. Asian Beetle chuckles as she holds them up, stating, “I suppose you won’t have the right to speak at  _ all _ once I’ve used these.”

Those are the words that send Marinette into action. Just as Asian Beetle moves, so does Marinette, lunging into action. She races at the Akuma, lunging at her and grabbing the scissors, quickly throwing them out of the way. Asian Beetle stumbles, shocked, and that moment of confusion is all that it takes for their classmates to start running for the exit. 

“ _ Marinette _ ,” Asian Beetle snarls out, eyes narrowed. “This isn’t your place to interfere.”

“You don’t want to do this,” Marinette responds, eyes staying on her enemy. “This isn’t like you.”

“Oh, but it is! This is who I am now, and this is who I’ll be!” Asian Beetle laughs, swinging her yoyo once more. “Now, now they’ll  _ never _ hate me for such false reasons. If they truly want to despise me, at least I can give them a reason now!” Asian Beetle leaps at Marinette, who stumbles backwards. The bluenettes move in tandem, one leaping forwards, the other dodging as she tries to move out of the way in the deserted room. Marinette can only hope that Félix will be able to return soon, or one of the others- Luka, Kagami,  _ Juleka _ \- will come back instead. Marinette can only hope that she can remain on her feet long enough to not get caught.

Her hopes fail her, and Marinette finds herself stumbling over a step, falling to the ground. Asian Beetle smirks, leaning over her, yoyo still spinning.

“Please,” Marinette breathes out. “Don’t-”

“Don’t what?” Asian Beetle asks, eyes glinting in the classroom’s light. “Don’t hurt you?” She chuckles, smiling down on the fallen bluenette. “Don’t worry, Marinette, I have no grudge against you. The only ones to earn my ire were Adrien and Alya, and anyone who gets in my way. But you...you don’t  _ have _ to be in my way, do you now?”

Marinette doesn’t respond, searching for a way out from the corner of her eye. But she’s not sure how to get past the Akuma that towers over her.

Asian Beetle takes the silence as a sign to continue. “I know there’s some sort of grudge between you and Alya. You’re so  _ nice _ , Marinette, and yet you avoid Alya. Why is that? Nobody has told me, but I bet it’s something like what she’s done to me. Doesn’t it hurt, Marinette? Don’t you want revenge?” 

Maybe, once, Marinette would’ve been hurt enough to contemplate the Akuma’s offer, the open hand that Asian Beetle holds out.

But Marinette isn’t like that, and so she bluntly states, “I may not be friends with Alya, but I’ve long moved on from holding a grudge.” Her words are honest, the bluenette having moved on from any feelings, good or bad, that she once held for the journalist. There’s no  _ time _ to be so hurt anymore, not when Marinette has so much good to enjoy and so much to worry about already. 

Unfortunately, Asian Beetle’s wound is fresh, and she’s still hurting. Her smile slips back to a scowl, her yoyo resuming its swinging. “How disappointing,” the Akuma sighs. “I suppose you  _ are _ against me, then.” She swings the yoyo at Marinette, and the girl flinches as she braces for the hit.

Instead, she hears the sound of weapon hitting weapon. She opens her eyes, only to find a dark gray suit in front of her, protecting her.

“Leave her  _ alone _ ,” Chat Ruse snarls, knocking Asian Beetle back with his staff. 

Asian Beetle snarls back, whipping her yoyo at the Cat. “She was in my  _ way _ .” She leaps at Chat Ruse once more, the hero meeting her head on. They clash against one another, both unable to land a good hit on their opponent. Marinette takes the chance to back up, slowly standing, trying to remain unseen.

But Asian Beetle is perceptive, and the sight of Marinette escaping is enough to fuel her rage. In one swift motion, she manages to knock Chat Ruse against the wall, the blond groaning as he gets back up. But Asian Beetle is already lunging for Marinette.

A flash of orange and blue hits orange and black, knocking the Akuma down. 

“I heard there was trouble,” Arctic Fox says, grin tight as he focuses on Asian Beetle. “Thought I’d drop in to help out.” 

Marinette sighs in relief, standing up to escape once more. As she races out of the classroom, she sees yellow join the mix, Belle Abeille swinging her spinning top in fury. 

Marinette races through the halls, trying to find a deserted place. She darts into an empty classroom, yelling her transformation phrase the second the door is closed. In a flash, she’s racing back to her class.

The room is empty, the windows shattered. Ladybug can hear their shouts outside, and races to see the courtyard.

Chat, Arctic, Belle, and Reptilitany are now on the scene, all four trying to beat Asian Beetle, but the Akuma is one of the strongest yet. Ladybug leaps in, blocking Asian Beetle as she nearly hits Reptilitany. 

“Now, that wasn’t very nice,” Ladybug says. Nothing more comes out, though, the spotted hero too focused on blocking the hits that Asian Beetle tries to land. 

“All of you just need to stay out of my way!” Asian Beetle shouts, swinging her yoyo in a wide arc that sends all five heroes reeling back. “I have no grudge against you, only those two  _ traitors _ that I called friends!”

“Violence is never the answer!” Ladybug shouts back. “And I can’t let you hurt them!” 

“Then I’ll have to deal with you first. Lucky trinket!” A ribbon baton falls from the sky, the Akuma laughing as she twirls it in her free hand. Then she launches herself back into the fight. 

It only gets worse. Asian Beetle, despite her anger, is still perceptive and analytical. She focuses on the timing of her hits, making sure that she can land a blow and dodge right in time. She avoids their grasp, hitting them with her yoyo while catching their weapons with the ribbon, holding them in place long enough to either hit them again or use them as shields, causing teammate to hit teammate. She coordinates their incoordination to her advantage, leaving the heroes to feel nothing but worry and quickly rising exhaustion.

“I think,” Belle Abeille says as she barely misses a hit, “that it’s time to use your power.”

“Right. Lucky charm!” Ladybug cries, and red flashes in the air. A bag drops from the sky, full of its own little trinkets. Ladybug looks at them quickly, trying to figure them out. “A cap...pencil...perfume bottle...and sunglasses?” Ladybug frowns, then gasps. “I got it! Guys, I need to go grab some things.” 

“Then do it!” Chat shouts, ripping his arm out of the ribbon. “We’ll hold her here.” 

Ladybug doesn’t wait for further encouragement, slipping out of view before swinging over to her balcony. Luckily, the fight moved behind the school, so no one sees her as she drops into her house, detransforming in the safety of her room.

“Eat up, Tikki,” Marinette says, racing down the steps and reaching the Miraculous Box. “We need to be quick.”

“On it, Marinette!” Tikki dives over to her plate of cookies as Marinette opens the Box. 

“Cap, pencil, perfume bottle, sunglasses,” Marinette mutters to herself once more, eyeing all of her options. The first two are easy, Marinette snatching up the Turtle and Dragon Miraculi. After a second of hesitation, she pulls out the Mouse pendant and Horse glasses, then shuts the Box once more.

“Tikki, you ready?” She turns back to her Kwami, who finishes the last bite before nodding. “Spots on!” 

Ladybug is quick to hunt down her classmates, the first two not too far. She slips Nino the Turtle bracelet, then hands off the Dragon choker to Nathaniel, sending the boys to fight while she finds her new recruits.

She spots her new Mouse first. 

“Rose Lavillant,” Ladybug breathes out as she lands in the blonde’s room. Standing from her crouched landing, she states, “I present to you the Miraculous of the Mouse. By wearing this pendant, you will hold the power of Multiplication at your fingertips. I ask you to fight alongside me for this battle, and to return the Miraculous to me when we are done. Can I trust you to do this?”

Rose stares up at Ladybug with wide eyes. “You want  _ me _ to help? I can be a hero, just like you and Reptilitany?”

“Yes. You can be a hero, Rose.”

Letting out a squeal, Rose nods eagerly, taking the pendant and slipping it around her neck. Mullo appears quickly, and Rose cooes over the Mouse. “Hi little one! Just tell me what to do, and I’ll do it!”

Mullo smiles. “Just say my transformation phrase, ‘Mullo, get squeaky’, and Ladybug will tell you the rest.”

“Got it! Mullo, get squeaky!” A flash of light covers Rose, and when it disappears, Ladybug smiles at the new hero. Rose wears a gray and pink suit, much like Marinette wore as Multimouse, but much more pink adorns the girl’s outfit. Her chest is pink all the way down to her jump rope tail, cutting down in a v-shape to allow gray to appear on her sides. The same pink edging remains where black ‘boots’ meet gray, almost like an homage to her predecessor. Her hairdo remains in its same pixie cut form, however, but two little faux mouse ears poke out on top of her head. 

Rose gasps as she looks at her costume, squealing once more. “This is so adorable!” Rose cheers. 

Ladybug laughs, then schools her face. “I’m glad that you’re excited, but we have work to do. When you get to the battle, I want you to call on your power. It’s called Multitude, and it’ll allow you to turn into a bunch of small copies of yourself.”

“Like you did as Multimouse?”

“Exactly. I want you to keep a copy with each hero, and use the remaining ones to scout for any danger you may see.”

“Gotcha! Anything else?” Rose asks, practically bouncing in her stance.

“Two things. The fight is in the school courtyard, and you need a name.”

“Call me Sweet Souris!” Rose, no, Sweet Souris, says, and Ladybug nods.

“Got it. I’ll see you soon, Sweet Souris. Make sure to keep a lookout for me when I arrive.” 

Ladybug leaps out before waiting for a response, and hears the sound of Sweet Souris leaping the other way a few moments later. Ladybug searches for her final target, determination surging through her.

She finds the girl hidden in the park. 

Taking a breath, Ladybug speaks. “Chloé,” she starts, and the blonde startles.

“Ladybug!” Chloé says, eyes wide. “What’s wrong?”

“The fight is harder than we expected, and I need all hands on deck. That is why I am here.” Pulling out the glasses, she states. “Chloé Bourgeois, I present to you the Horse Miraculous. You will use it and its power, Voyage, to help me with this battle. When we are done, you will return it to me.”

“I...I…” Her eyes sparking with determination, Chloé nods. “I understand.” She opens the box, and Kaalki appears. 

Kaalki eyes the blonde and hums. “Hmph. Are you glorious and famous?” 

“Of course!” Chloé promises, then freezes. “I think?” She looks to Ladybug, eyes searching.

“She is,” Ladybug assures the Kwami, and Chloé lights up, much like a flame kindled to life. “She’s ready, Kaalki.”

“Then say the words. My phrase is ‘full gallop’. You should know what to do, I assume?” Kaalki eyes the blonde, who nods nervously.

“Kaalki, full gallop.” Her voice is soft but still enough, and light surrounds the girl. When it dies away, Chloé is left in a brown and white suit. Brown covers her arms and legs, with white wrapping around her chest and stomach like the bodice of a dress. White covers her feet up to her ankles almost like ankle boots, with the smallest heel giving them a resemblance to riding boots. Her blonde ponytail fades into a platinum blonde, and a horseshoe attaches to her hip like magic. Smiling, Chloé turns to Ladybug. 

“Alright, Ladybug, what do you need me to do?” Her eyes are full of courage and hope. “Just say the words, and I’ll do it all.”

“First, pick a name. Then we’ll figure it out from there.” A plan is already forming in her head, and Ladybug feels like this will all work out.

“Lareine,” the returning heroine says, hands clenching into fists. “I want to go with Lareine.” 

“Well then, welcome to the team.” She starts to lead the way, Lareine following closely. “Remember, nobody can know who you are.”

“Of course! I won’t make the same mistakes as I did last time!” Lareine promises, and Ladybug believes her.

“I know,” she says simply, and then they’re back at the school. 

It’s chaotic. Somehow, Asian Beetle still manages to hold her own, even against  _ seven other heroes _ . Lucky trinkets litter the grounds, with trampolines knocked over, a few more ribbon batons tossed aside, and now Asian Beetle holds a balance beam above her head- oh, oh no she’s throwing it. 

Chat Ruse and Jade Tortue dodge at the last second, each boy flying in the opposite direction. At the same time, Asian Beetle whips around, knocking Belle Abeille with her yoyo and sending the Bee to the ground. 

“This is  _ bad _ ,” Lareine whispers. “I can see why you needed the extra help.” 

“Yeah,” Ladybug whispers back, eyes darting around, looking for an opening. “There’s nine of us, we  _ should _ be able to do something if I can make a plan.”

“Uh, Ladybug?” A small voice pipes up, and Ladybug looks down. Two copies of Sweet Souris stand in front of her and Lareine, a matching glint in both of their eyes. “We might be able to help.”

“Well, lay it on me!” Ladybug says, crouching to pick up a copy. The other climbs up Lareine’s arm, resting on her shoulder. 

“Asian Beetle is good with focusing on multiple people at once, but that’s when it comes to direct combat,” Sweet Souris informs as Lareine jumps into the battle, nearly landing a hit before Asian Beetle knocks the Horse to the side. “But we haven’t used our powers against her. Well, Reptilitany says she’s used Second Chance, I think it’s been five times now? Right?” She goes silent for a minute, then nods. “My Repti copy says it’s been seven times, now.” 

“Reptilitany is staying off to the side, right?” Ladybug checks, and she feels Sweet’s nod against her neck. 

“Yeah. I’ve got a copy on her, and a few extras on high ground to get a better view.”

“Good. Tell Reptilitany to stay out of sight, we can’t afford to miss on extra saves.” She shudders as Asian Beetle calls for another trinket, this time a second yoyo. The Akuma attacks with even more strength, knocking Ouragon off of his feet before landing a solid hit on Lareine. “She’s probably our worst one yet.”

“She’s a gymnast,” Sweet Souris adds, not knowing that Ladybug knows this. “It’s probably helping her to be stronger than usual. And she’s got an infinite amount of lucky trinkets, which seem to be just as good as your charms. The worst part is how easily she’s multitasking, I think?” She shrugs. “That’s what Arctic Fox told my copy, at least. I’m not sure what to do about that, though…”

Ladybug has a thought forming, but doesn’t get the immediate chance to act. Instead she leaps down, landing a good kick on Asian Beetle as the Akuma moves to lunge at Chat Ruse. The Akuma stumbles, missing her shot as Chat darts in and lands a hit with the baton. It’s a blur of hits and kicks, and all too soon Ladybug is sent flying back, the Akuma advancing towards her.

“Is this how it feels?” Asian Beetle asks, voice mocking. “Is this how it feels, to be the better copy?” Asian Beetle laughs, spinning on her feet to knock Belle Abeille back. “Perhaps I should keep your Miraculous for myself. It seems I’m better than  _ nine _ of you, as it is.”

Ladybug huffs at the words, pulling herself up. “Please. You’re a little stronger, that’s for sure, but we’ve got something you don’t.”

“Oh yeah?” Asian Beetle laughs. “And what’s that?” 

“An army of heroes, it seems.” She darts her eyes to Arctic Fox, who quickly sets up a

Mirage. Suddenly, hundreds of copies surround the Akuma, the nine heroes suddenly having dozens of themselves in the courtyard. 

Asian Beetle laughs. “You think I’ll be stopped by a little illusion? Please, it won’t take more than a few seconds to destroy them all!” Asian Beetle spins her two yoyos, lashing them out at the nearby copies. They start to disappear, some fleeing, others darting near. Ladybug pulls herself out of the way and spots one copy of Belle Abeille readying her attack, sending her spinning top flying at Asian Beetle-

It gets knocked aside at the last second, and the copy is hit as well, the real Belle Abeille flying back. But it’s something.

“Arctic,” Ladybug mutters. “Ask him if he can feed his Kwami quickly and come back. I  want more illusions.” 

A second later, Arctic Fox disappears from the scene. 

“I told the copy to stay on the field,” Sweet Souris assures Ladybug, and Ladybug nods. Quickly, she starts muttering instructions to Sweet Souris, the Mouse relaying them just as fast.

Ladybug watches with satisfaction as her team begins to move from random hits to something more organized, more together. They move like a team once more. 

Chat Ruse goes on the offense, but sticks close to Reptilitany’s hideout. He’s set to be a distraction, but to not get too hurt. Jade Tortue plays a similar route, but much more defensive. The two focus on keeping the others out of danger as Ladybug continues to give directions to the team.

“What do you think you’re doing, huh?” Asian Beetle asks as Ladybug tries to tell Ouragon something, leaping away from the Cat and Turtle duo. “Think you’re better than me, that you don’t even need to fight? Is that it?” She’s moving faster than Ladybug, and knocks the bluenette down. 

In a flash, Chat Ruse is leaping on the Akuma, the two rolling on the ground as they land blows on each other. It takes Ladybug pulling him away for the boy to stop. 

“You’re bleeding,” Ladybug points out.

“Are you okay?” Chat Ruse asks, wiping blood off of his face. The substance keeps coming, but Chat looks like he’s about to pounce on the approaching Akuma once more. 

Ladybug sighs, then looks to Jade Tortue. “Shellter him.” The Turtle does, creating a dome around the Cat. “Can you handle going full offense for a moment?”

“Got it, Ladydude,” Jade Tortue says, then leaps back into the fray, blocking a hit with his shell shield. 

“Arctic says he’s back,” Souris whispers.

“Perfect. I want more illusions, and I want them to rush her. He needs to make them on my cue, not a moment sooner, okay?” She gets a nod, and continues to instruct. “Now, tell Ouragon to use his Air form. I want him to…” Her instructions fall from her lips with ease as Ladybug analyzes every movement, and then it’s go time.

“Everyone ready?” She asks, and Sweet Souris confirms. “Ouragon, Arctic, now!” In a flash, Ouragon loses his form, turning into a gust of wind that flies into the air. At the same time, hundreds of copies flood the courtyard once more, all of them rushing Asian Beetle. “Jade, back up and call off your Shellter!” The Turtle does so, racing out of the way as Ouragon begins to form a whirlwind around Asian Beetle, knocking the girl around without room to recover. She struggles in his grip, finally falling out only to start aggressively destroying illusions, their copies disappearing by the dozen. 

“Lareine, ready?” The blonde nods, once more by her side. “Now.”

“Voyage!” Quickly, Lareine creates a portal. Ladybug jumps through it, landing right behind Asian Beetle and quickly knocking her to the ground. 

“Venom!” A flash of yellow appears, Belle Abeille  _ finally _ paralyzing the Akuma in place. Ladybug snatches away the yoyos, tossing one to the newly-freed Chat Ruse, who cataclysms his as Ladybug throws the other on the ground and crushes it with her foot. Chat’s releases the butterfly, which Ladybug catches and purifies without a moment’s delay.

Taking a deep breath, Ladybug lifts up the bag of trinkets she got as her Lucky Charm. Throwing it into the air, she shouts, “Miraculous Ladybug!” and the world rights itself once more.

It’s eerily silent as Eden regains her sense of self. The gymnast looks up to Ladybug with shock clear in her eyes, the expression only growing as she spots the new arrivals. 

“Oh no...what did I  _ do _ ?” Eden asks, horrified. “There’s- there’s  _ nine _ of you here, how bad was I?”

Ladybug smiles, crouching down. “You were a tough one, I’ll admit, but it wasn’t your fault. You were under Hawkmoth’s control, you’re as much of a victim as us.”

“But I hurt you guys...all because I was upset. I can’t believe I, I-” Eden starts to cry. “I’m so  _ sorry _ . I just wanted to be like you, and instead I fought you! I just wanted to be strong and confident like you! I wanted to be liked! I wanted to make friends, and have more than just my gymnastics!” She curls up on the floor, and Ladybug frowns, resting a hand on her peer.

“Eden, you’re a wonderful girl. You don’t have to act like me, you’re amazing as you are.” Ladybug smiles gently as Eden looks up, eyes shining with tears and faint hope. “I know that people can be harsh, but you aren’t what they think. You’re miraculous all on your own, okay? Don’t act like me if that isn’t you. Just be  _ you _ .” 

“I...alright. Thank you, Ladybug.” The girl quickly hugs her hero, then stands up. “I should probably head to class. Thank you again.” Then Eden races off, disappearing from sight.

‘ _ She’d make a great hero, _ ’ Ladybug thinks with a soft smile, but any further thoughts on the matter are cut off by beeping. ‘ _ Right. Timers. _ ’

“Alright, everyone, scatter. Chat, Belle, Arctic, you three can head on back to what you were doing. The rest of you, go find a hiding spot so I can take back the Miraculi. Thanks for helping out today, by the way.”

Collecting the magical jewelry takes a few minutes, and Ladybug is able to dart out of sight just as her own timer runs out, the flash of light leaving behind an exhausted Marinette. With slow hands, Marinette puts Tikki back in her purse, the Miraculi tucked away in her yoyo. Then, with a sigh, she trudges back to school, weary of the rest of the day. 

She just hopes that Alya and Adrien don’t piss Eden off again. She doesn’t want to deal with a fight like  _ that _ for a  _ long _ time.


	52. Apologies

Chapter Fifty-Two

She walks in on an apology. Two, actually. Alya and Adrien stand before Eden, the former wiping away tears as the other bashfully rubs the back of his neck. Eden stands before them, silent and patient as they let out the words.

“I was too quick to shout,” Alya admits, swiping at her eyes. “I...I’ve been so  _ angry _ about all of this for months and I just let it get to me. I shouldn’t have! It’s not excusable, and I had no right to pin all of that on you when you weren’t ever in the wrong. I jumped without looking...I’ve  _ been _ jumping without looking, haven’t I?” Alya chuckles, it’s a sad and defeated sound that rings in Marinette’s heart as the bluenette passes their spot. “I’ve always been told I’m stubborn when I want to be, that I’m persistent in my own views. I’ve hurt a lot of people, being like this, haven’t I?” She scowls, but it’s not at Eden. No, it’s at herself. “I want to change. I’m  _ going _ to change. I’m going to be better. I’m going to be the friend you deserved...and I hope you can forgive me someday.”

Eden smiles sadly. “Alya, I want to be your friend, and I want to forgive you. I will forgive you, but...I’m not forgetting. Not yet, not until you prove you’re better.”

Alya smiles back, it’s wobbly with tears. “Thank you,” she gets out, and then she swipes at her eyes again. “I’m- I’m gonna go freshen up. I’ll be back before the bell rings, okay?” Eden nods, and Alya races off.

Adrien speaks up next, and Marinette listens as she sits down beside Félix. “Eden...I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed something like that, and I  _ definitely _ shouldn’t have accused you in front of everyone. That was so wrong of me. I was...I was paranoid, I suppose. You seemed so similar, and it just...rubbed me the wrong way. But I should’ve asked you about it.”

“You should have,” Eden agrees, and Adrien flinches back.

“I’ve made too many assumptions in my life, and I’ve ignored reality for too long. I’ve hurt people for too long.” For some reason, his eyes leave Eden’s face to look at Marinette’s, but his gaze switches back mere seconds later. “I’ve been working on improving myself, but I have a long way to go. I’m sorry for today.”

“I forgive you too, Adrien,” Eden says with that same small smile. “I hope you continue to grow. I’d love to get to know you more once you do.”

He nods, then sits down as class resumes. Alya returns with perfect timing, and the day continues without issue. For all that’s happened, it seems that her peers will right themselves with time.

The thought makes Marinette smile, glad that Alya and Adrien are working to better themselves. Maybe things are looking up…

The day flies by without further interruption, and Marinette is grateful for the lack of excitement. Cheerfully, the bluenette starts to pack up her bag, only pausing when someone stops before her desk.

“Hey, Marinette?” Adrien’s voice rings in her ears, and Marinette looks up.

“Hey, Adrien! Did you need something?” She asks, and he nods stiffly.

“Can we talk? Just...just the two of us?” His eyes won’t reach hers, and Marinette begins to worry.

“Of course!” She smiles at her desk partner. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Félix.” The blond nods, a small smile on his face as he walks off. She turns back to the other Agreste. “Where do you want to talk?”

He leads her to the roof, and they sit there in silence for a few moments before he begins to speak. “Marinette, I just wanted you to know that you’re an amazing girl. You’re kind, you’re generous, you’re selfless and sweet and smart. You’re going to take over the world just as easily as you took over my heart, and I  _ know _ you’ll succeed in whatever you do, whether it’s fashion or something else. You’re extraordinary, and I...I think I’m falling in love with you.” He pauses for a moment, and Marinette tenses.

Once, she knows, she would be over the moon right now. Adrien Agreste, boy of her dreams, teenage model and perfect son, confessing his love to her? She would have died on the spot. It would be so perfect...but he’s not so perfect, a little cracked, a little healed, and he’s not in her dreams anymore. He hasn’t been for months, her heart now filled with thoughts of a musician, a fencer, and a different Agreste. 

Adrien smiles sadly just as Marinette opens her mouth. “I know, Marinette. I know that I missed my chance. I know that you stopped feeling the same months ago. I’ve seen how you look at my cousin, and Kagami, and even Luka...and I know that you don’t look at me the same way. I tried to ignore it. I tried to tell myself that I could win you back over, that you’d fall for me again...but that was selfish of me. I’m realizing it now, I suppose I have been for a while. I’m going to be less selfish.” Another pause, the sad blond searching for the right words to say. “I’ve always focused on myself. On my feelings. On if  _ I  _ was happy. I thought everything would work out perfectly if  _ my _ life was perfect...but that’s not how it all works, is it?” 

He chuckles softly, but she knows that he isn’t amused. Sighing, he looks at her with a shattering smile. “I just had to let all of the words out, and...I have to apologize. For everything I’ve ever done wrong to you in the name of my selfishness.”

_ Chat’s advances. Adrien’s plea of silence. His combined hatred for her secret identity and his fit over his sudden end to heroism.  _

“I forgive you,” Marinette says, and she does. She does, for so much more than he can possibly realize.

“ _ Thank you _ ,” he breathes out, and then he stands up, steps back, removes himself from her space. “I’m...I’m going to go home now. Thank you for listening, for everything.” He nods politely to her, then turns and begins to walk away.

“Hey, Adrien?” Marinette calls out, watching how he pauses. Words slipping out, she asks, “Want to hang out this weekend? You, me, some of the guys? We can play Ultimate Mecha Strike and eat some pastries at my place.”

He looks at her, and then he  _ beams _ . “I’d love that, Marinette. Thank you.”

And as he goes, Marinette can breathe just a little bit easier. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it seems as though more loose ends are being tied up as the story reaches the end...but there's still one more loose end remaining, non? I wonder what will happen in the next chapter. ;D
> 
> Until next time~ <3


	53. Confessions

Chapter Fifty-Three

As the sun rises into the sky on Tuesday morning, Marinette feels at ease. Life feels pretty good, and Marinette holds that feeling close to her heart as she gets ready for the day. The bluenette throws on a light pink dress, ties her hair into her signature pigtails, then makes her way to school. Most of her classmates are already inside, talking with one another. Juleka, Rose, Luka, and Ivan talk in the back, likely about a new song that Luka has mentioned before. Kagami and Félix stand a few feet away, talking about something else. Marinette slips into the larger discussion, and her assumptions are correct. Rose is excitedly talking about the band’s rehearsal plans, practically vibrating in her spot.

“We’re having a rehearsal on Sunday!” Rose says to Marinette in lieu of a greeting. “Want to come?” 

Marinette nods. “Sure! It sounds like fun.”

They talk of the songs they’ll be rehearsing for a few moments, and then the topic of outfits comes up.

It’s Ivan who says, “Someone recognized our costumes. They said they saw it on your site. How’s that going for you?”

Marinette blinks, then smiles. “Oh! That’s going pretty well!” Since she started her MDC website nearly two months ago, business has slowly increased. She gets a few customers a week, each small order leading to more customers and more requests. “It’s sometimes a challenge to fit all of the work in, but it’s fun.”

Luka smiles at her, and Marinette struggles to keep her face from turning red. “That’s good to hear. You should talk about it more often, I like hearing you when you speak about your passions.”

And she’s blushing. Great. 

Marinette giggles lightly as she nods. “Of course! It’s not something I really think about, you know? I’m just doing what I’ve always done, it’s not that big of a change!”

“But now you’re getting your name out there!” Rose cheers. “This is big for you, Marinette!” 

And yeah, Marinette supposes it is. It’s leading to her future as a known name, hopefully. But honestly?

Marinette cares more about the people surrounding her at the moment, and so she lets the topic slip away. 

She can always focus on her clients later, after all. 

All too soon, the warning bell is ringing. Kagami and Luka wave goodbye, and Marinette takes her seat beside Félix as Miss Bustier prepares for class. 

“How are you doing, Félix?” Marinette asks as she pulls out her tablet, and Félix shrugs.

“Pretty well. I’m actually heading over to Adrien’s house later tonight, so I suppose I have that to look forward to.” 

“Oh, really?” Marinette smiles at the blond. “I’m glad to hear that! It’s nice that you two get along so well.” Especially when they’ve seemed rather tense around each other at times…

“Me, too. We spoke on the phone last night, and he’s definitely...better than he has been.” Félix smiles softly. “It’s an improvement. I’m glad to see him changing.” 

Marinette nods, but Miss Bustier starts class before she can make any other comments. The morning flies by, full of note taking and lectures. Before Marinette even knows it, Félix is leading her to the cafeteria for lunch. Luka and Kagami sit at a four person table, the remaining spots quickly taken by the Bustier students. 

“Hey, guys!” Marinette greets happily as she sets her food on the table. “How was class?”

“Same as usual,” Kagami says with a shrug. “We went to class, did our work, and now we’re here. It’s nothing special when you don’t have an Akuma threatening to destroy the school every other class.” 

Marinette laughs. “I suppose you’re right. It’s nice to have such an uneventful day, I suppose.” 

“Yeah,” Luka nods. “My teacher is ready to demand a Miraculous for herself so she can fight Hawkmoth.” 

“Wait, what?” Marinette sputters out. “Why does she want to fight Hawkmoth?”

“He keeps interrupting classes.” Luka shrugs. “She’s always fuming when we return after a fight. She’s mentioned being ready to…” Luka frowns, tapping the table. “I think she wants to ‘throw hands’ with Hawkmoth?”

This time, Marinette bursts out laughing. “She did  _ not _ .”

“She did!” Luka laughs in response. “It’s probably the fastest she’s ever gotten the class to be silent, actually. She’s usually pretty strict.”

“Well, maybe I’ll get her as my teacher next year!” Marinette says, although she’s not fully sure she’d  _ want _ to have Luka’s teacher- oh well.

“Anyways,” Kagami says calmly, and Marinette turns her gaze to look at the fencer. “Want to hang out after school? All four of us?” 

“Sure! What do you guys want to do?” Marinette agrees easily, waiting for her crushes’ inputs. 

“Why not just go for a walk?” Félix asks calmly. “The weather is nice, I see no reason not to enjoy it.”

And so the four decide to go on a walk. 

Afternoon classes fly by, with Marinette excited to spend more time with the three people who stole her heart without her realizing it. 

‘ _ Don’t focus on that, _ ’ Marinette reminds herself as the final minutes of class pass. ‘ _ They’re just your friends. Just relax. You don’t need to worry about how nice they are, or how cute they are, or how much they mean to you- fuck. _ ’ 

The bell rings, snapping Marinette out of her head. Félix looks at her calmly, soft smile ever present on his face as he asks, “Ready to go to the lockers?”

“Uh, yeah!” Marinette shoves her things into her backpack, then follows the blond to the locker room. Kagami and Luka are already grabbing their things as Marinette enters, and they wait for her patiently as she grabs her things and leaves what she doesn’t need behind. Finally, they’re heading out of the school, enjoying the nice breeze.

As they walk, the four talk about their day. It’s nice, pleasant, without the rush that Marinette is used to whenever Akumas come her way. Life feels right, beside her crushes and partners in heroism. 

Marinette can only hope that they can have more moments like this. She doesn’t dare hope for more. It feels almost selfish, to ask for more when she already has so much.

But the world is feeling generous, it seems.

“Look,” Félix says, in a voice that tries to sound surprised but misses its mark, “André’s got his cart down the street. Why don’t we go get some ice cream?” 

Marinette blushes as her eyes lock onto the familiar cart. “Sure. That sounds fun,” she agrees, and so they all go over to André’s cart.

The man looks up just as they walk up. With a grin, he greets them. “Hello again! Back for more so soon?”

“What can I say?” Marinette starts, “We  _ love _ this ice cream.”

André laughs. “That is good to hear. Now, who will be first for their ice cream that sings for the heart?”

Marinette looks to her friends, but they just wait patiently behind her. Blushing, Marinette steps closer.

“Ah, of course. I see your heart still rings true, just like the time before.” He sighs with relief, pulling out a scooper. “I was worried I’d have to change your colors once more. Nevertheless, here we are! Mint, lemon, and blueberry for the young mademoiselle.” With a quick exchange of money and ice cream, Marinette steps back with her ice cold treat. 

“I’ll go next,” Kagami says, stepping forward. 

“A girl who goes for what she wants, even in the face of fear!” André cries out, smile widening. “Here you are, brave one.” He hands over her ice cream, and Marinette looks at the colors. Blueberry, strawberry, and mint, with oreos crumbled on top. Just like last time.

A few moments later, Luka and Félix have the exact same mix. 

“Why don’t we go sit over there?” Luka suggests, gesturing to a park nearby. The four walk over to the spot, sitting down on the grass in a circle. Marinette feels warm, sitting in the sun, surrounded by the people she cares about. 

‘ _ This moment is perfect, _ ’ Marinette thinks. ‘ _ There’s no way it could get any better. _ ’

Then Luka starts to speak, setting aside his finished treat.

“Marinette, we...we have some things to say.” He smiles at her, and Marinette feels her heart skip a beat as she sets down her own empty cup. 

“Y-yes?” She asks, voice catching as she sees how intently the three look at her.

“Well, where do I start?” Luka asks himself, then shrugs. “You’re a wonderful girl, Marinette, and I hope you know that. You’re a song that sounds out the world, sincere and clear. I’ve heard your melody in my head since we met, and you wow me with everything you do. You’re miraculous...in or out of the suit.”

Marinette’s blush gives away to stupor with the last few words, and she finds her hands flying up to shake away the words before she even realizes it. “What do you mean? Out of the suit? Luka I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Marinette,” Kagami says, voice cutting through her ramblings but still gentle. “We all figured it out. We know you’re Ladybug.” 

Marinette’s mouth drops as all three nod. “You- you know? How?” 

“Your song is the same,” Luka says, then blushes. “And...during the Hothead fight...Chat Noir stole your Miraculous a few times.”

Marinette gasps, remembering that fight all of those weeks ago. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Marinette asks.

“You wanted it to remain a secret. You seemed more confident when you didn’t worry about identities, and I didn’t want to distract you.” The words make sense, and his voice is full of nothing but honesty. With the way Kagami and Félix nod beside him, Marinette knows they had only the best of intentions.

“Okay...that makes sense. Kagami? Félix?”

Kagami speaks up next. “I figured it out only a few weeks ago. You were talking about Reptilitany, and you knew too much to not be a hero.”

“I figured it out at the same time,” Félix admits. “You said too many things that only Ladybug should know.” 

“I...see.” Marinette nods finally. “But why are you admitting this to me now?” 

“We didn’t want to keep any secrets from you,” Kagami admits. “Not anymore. Not for the future.”

“What do you mean?” 

Kagami doesn’t answer that. Instead, she says, “Marinette, you’re a force to be reckoned with. I may be known for how quickly I move to act, but you move to help others without hesitation. You are bold, and you are sweet, and you’ve made my life so much better since we became friends.”

Her blush returns tenfold at the fencer’s words, and Marinette can only gape as Félix speaks up.

“I’m not always the best with words, admittedly,” Félix starts, “at least not out loud...but you’re an inspiration, Marinette. You make my life brighter, and seeing you is enough to make my day.”

“Guys,” Marinette says, tears coming to her eyes.

“That’s why,” Félix continues, “we were hoping you’d make the rest of our days, and let us do the same for you, and would be open to dating us.” 

The world freezes, and Marinette can only ask, “What?”

“We aren’t blind, Marinette,” Kagami states bluntly. “Only a fool would be dumb enough to  _ not _ fall for you.”

“And we all love you,” Luka admits easily. “Judging from your ice cream, we assumed it was fair to think you feel the same.”

“I-”

“We know that some people don’t like the idea of polygamy, but we thought, well...you don’t have to choose this way. We can all be happy.” Félix smiles, although he seems nervous for once. “It is, of course, up to you.”

The three fall silent, looking to Marinette for her answer.

And Marinette chokes back a sob as she smiles. Because she doesn’t have to  _ choose _ .

The words come out easily, even if they shake all the while. “I’d love that. I’d be  _ happy _ to go out with all of you.”

They beam at her, and the rest of their afternoon is nothing but smiles and sweet looks shared between them.

Everything is  _ perfect _ , and for once...nothing interrupts the moment. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At long last, the relationship is revealed~
> 
> Only one chapter remains before the story concludes...


	54. A Patient Girl (Reprise)

Chapter Fifty-Four

It’s a beautiful Wednesday morning when Marinette awakes. The sun is already shining, birds are singing, and Marinette’s heart is full of love. 

Tikki giggles as Marinette gets ready for school in a love stricken daze, saying, “Marinette, I’m glad that this all worked out, but perhaps you should focus on getting ready instead of your partners.”

Marinette snaps out of her thoughts. “Huh? What do you mean?” She looks in the mirror, seeing that she, stuck in her head, had managed to somehow put four pigtails into her hair instead of two. “Oh.” Blushing, the bluenette pulls all of the hair elastics out, choosing to leave her hair down for the day. With her luck, she’ll get distracted and put  _ six _ in next. 

Tikki’s giggles follow her throughout the room. Marinette whines half-heartedly as she pulls on her outfit- this time a pair of light blue jeans and a cute gray and yellow top. 

“Tikki, you’re making fun of me,” Marinette cries out as she slips on a pair of gray flats that match her top. 

“I’m happy for you!” Tikki simply responds. “It’s so nice to see my chosen falling in love, and it’s even  _ better  _ when the feeling is returned.” Marinette smiles at the words, and is about to apologize for her joking complaints, but Tikki continues. “But still, you  _ do _ need to be able to put your shoes on the right feet, even if you are in love.”

“Tikki!” Marinette shouts, offended. But then she laughs, her Kwami joining in.

Yes, Marinette is happy.

She’s even happier when she walks into her classroom. Kagami and Luka are already there, waiting at her desk, and her heart skips a beat when both of them  _ light up _ at the sight of  _ her _ . Her! 

Marinette holds back a squeal as she, once again, realizes how lucky she is. 

Beside two-thirds of her partners stands Rose and Juleka, both of whom are smiling with amusement at the bluenette. It seems that word has spread already, not that Marinette minds.

No, word has spread a  _ lot _ , Marinette realizes, when Nino taps her sleeve right before she passes him. 

“Congratulations, Nette!” Nino says with an open smile. “Adrien told me about your new relationship. I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks!” Marinette says, cheeks flushing. She looks to Adrien. “I’m assuming Félix told you yesterday?”

Adrien nods, smiling gently. “He was over the moon, pri- Marinette. He’s usually so calm, but yesterday he was practically vibrating in place as he told me about everything.” From the way Adrien still smiles, Marinette doubts it was  _ everything _ (the identity reveal still feels like a bit of a dream, even to her), but the meaning still makes her smile back.

Adrien continues, oblivious to her inner thoughts. “I’m happy for you guys. Make sure they treat you right, okay?”

Marinette giggles and nods. “Of course. I’ll be sure to treat them right, too.”

“I’m sure you will.” 

Marinette feels that the conversation has ended, so she looks away and starts up the steps, noting her classmates’ presences as she does. Alya isn’t here yet, her absence marked by the lack of bags. Eden actually stands in front of Sabrina and Chloé’s shared spot, chatting lightly with the two girls. From the smiles on all of their faces, Marinette can tell that a great friendship is starting to form before her eyes. Behind them, Alix and Kim have a friendly argument going on, with Max intervening to shove logic into their bets. The rest of the class is empty, students still arriving. 

Marinette reaches her desk, dropping her stuff to the floor as she sits in her seat. Immediately, she finds a hand being taken by Luka, who smiles sweetly at her before looking back to his sister, responding to something she said. Kagami slides on to the bench on Marinette’s right, taking a hold of her other hand without hesitation. Marinette sighs with happiness, the calmness feeling perfect.

Marinette sees Félix the moment he enters the room, and they lock eyes. Immediately, his cold gaze softens, and he smiles sweetly at her as he makes his way up the steps.

“Hello, Marinette,” Félix says, voice gentle, but then his smile slips away as he looks down ever so slightly, expression becoming one of concern and concealed dismay.

“What is it, Félix?” Marinette asks, keeping her voice down, not wanting to alarm her other partners. From the squeeze from Luka’s hand, and the way Kagami leans closer, it’s clear that both are listening intently, even if they don’t show it on their faces.

“I do not mean to alarm you, love,” Félix starts, voice barely a whisper, and the endearing name makes Marinette’s heart jolt for a split second, “but I do believe that I know the whereabouts of the Peacock Miraculous.” Simple and precise as usual, the words take a few moments to click into Marinette’s head.

Oh.

She sees how Félix’s eyes dart to his cousin for a split second, as if reminding her of something.

_ He went to Adrien’s yesterday. Adrien can’t be the Peacock, because he was Chat Noir. But… _

_ Oh _ .

Well, it looks like her life will be a little less than normal for a while, but Marinette can deal with that. She has before, so she can do it once more.

After all, Marinette Dupain-Cheng has always been a patient girl, and she always will be. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with that, the story comes to a close! 
> 
> I just want to take a moment to thank all of you for sticking around and reading this story, it means so much to know that my passions can bring others joy. <3 
> 
> I know someone may ask about the sudden mention of the Peacock Miraculous, because I don't think I actually integrated it into any fights, so here's my explanation: Nathalie started using the Miraculous to assist Hawkmoth, but it wasn't in any of the chapters I wrote. I know that this may seem lame, but I actually wrote this chapter months before I finished writing the story, so I guess I forgot to bring it up in time, haha! 
> 
> I had also planned on writing Hawkmoth's defeat, back when I first *started* this story, but...this story was never *about* defeating Hawkmoth. It was about Marinette being salty and characters slowly finding redemption for mistakes. It was about love and friendship, and that's why I'm ending it here. Because this is where everything is finally settled into place, and Marinette is happy and ready for the future. Perhaps one day I will write some snippets, showing the future of this world, but...I don't think it's needed. I think I'll let Marinette be happy, and let this be her final chapter for this world.
> 
> With all of that said, merci once again for reading the entirety of 'Of Patience and Pettiness', and I hope that you have a Miraculous day! Au revoir~

**Author's Note:**

> Bonjour! I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update this story, but I hope you all enjoy my saltiness and the good life I have planned for Marinette. Comments and reviews are beloved and appreciated, so feel free to say whatever you want! Au revoir, until next time! <3

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Twenty Nine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21432697) by [EstelleDusk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EstelleDusk/pseuds/EstelleDusk)


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